TERRACE — While most of the Skeena region slept, the night sky erupted into a vivid dance of neon purple, deep blue, and emerald green early Tuesday morning.
The short-lived but striking display was captured by Terrace Mayor Sean Bujtas, who shared a photo on social media shortly after midnight on January 20. “For those of you still up, you have a couple of minutes to see the Northern Lights,” Bujtas wrote, as soft bands of color stretched over the city’s silhouetted rooftops.
The Science Behind the Show: A “1-in-20-Year” Event
Though the display in Terrace was brief, it was triggered by what NASA and NOAA forecasters are calling the largest solar radiation storm in over two decades.
The aurora was sparked by a massive X1.9-class solar flare that erupted from the sun on Sunday, January 18. This was followed by a powerful “halo” coronal mass ejection (CME)—a billion-tonne cloud of solar plasma—that slammed into Earth’s magnetic field on Monday afternoon.
The impact triggered a G4 (Severe) Geomagnetic Storm, reaching levels not seen with this intensity since 2003. While the storm was powerful enough to cause GPS fluctuations for aircraft and disruptions to satellite communications, its visual “substorms” resulted in the colorful light show seen across Northern B.C.
Why Was It So Brief?
Many residents reported missing the event due to a combination of patchy cloud cover and the “pulsing” nature of this particular storm. Scientists note that auroras during severe solar events often experience 20-minute bursts of peak activity, known as substorms, followed by periods of relative calm.
“The orientation of the magnetic field within the solar cloud determines where and how long the lights will dance,” explained a spokesperson for Space Weather Canada. “In the Skeena, residents were lucky to catch a high-intensity pulse during a clear window in the clouds.”
More to Come in 2026?
As we enter the “Solar Maximum” phase of the sun’s 11-year cycle, 2026 is expected to be a peak year for northern lights activity. With the sun currently crackling with active regions, space weather enthusiasts are encouraged to keep their cameras ready.
For those looking to catch the next show, local experts suggest:
- Monitoring Forecasts: Use apps like “My Aurora Forecast” or check the Space Weather Canada portal.
- Escaping the Glow: Head to dark-sky spots like the Old Remo area or Ferry Island to minimize light pollution from Terrace or Kitimat.
- Looking North: The most vibrant activity often starts low on the northern horizon.
