Northern Lights back in Saskatchewan

The next few nights are a good time to see the Northern Lights in Saskatoon.

University of Saskatchewan Physics and Engineering Physics Professor Kathryn McWilliams says it is because of increased activity from the Sun.

It’s all due to a coronal mass ejection.

“It’s a big explosion that happens on the sun and it flows out into space,” McWilliams said.

 McWilliams said it normally takes a few days for the particles that were ejected from the sun to reach earth but when they do they increase the chance of seeing the Lights.

“The different colours are coming from different gases in the atmosphere and different reactions to this energy that comes in from space,” McWilliams said.

She added green and red colours are primarily due to Oxygen. Yellow and purples are normally due to Nitrogen.