What, exactly, are aurora borealis, and will we see them in Ottawa this week?

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The Olympics are not the only place to see lights, cameras and action this week.

The Northern Lights are also making a surprise mid-summer appearance across parts of the North America.

But just how much of the spectacular aurora borealis we see over Ottawa from Tuesday through Thursday could be limited due to expected clouds.

If the night sky is clear, the best spots to view the kaleidoscope of colour will be open spaces with clear views to the north.

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Dave Chisholm, president of the Ottawa Chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, cites Shirley’s Bay Park, Britannia Park or the Nepean Sailing Club as potentially ideal places to catch the spectacle.

Best viewing times would be between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m, when skies are the darkest.

What causes aurora borealis?

As pretty as the light show is, it’s all the result of an intense ultra-high speed collision in the atmosphere.

According to Space.com, the Northern Lights occur after charged particles from the sun crash into the Earth’s upper atmosphere at speeds reaching 72 million km/h. That’s also known as a solar wind.

Talk about windburn.

Fortunately, the earth’s magnetic field works as a shield to protect us from the attack. Instead of hitting us, the magnetic field deflects the charged particles towards the northern and southern poles.

What’s the deal with the fluorescent colours?

There is also a scientific explanation for the funky, psychedelic hues.

It’s about the chemical make-up of the Earth’s atmosphere. Red colours are produced by nitrogen molecules, and the greens are produced by oxygen molecules.

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Where did the term aurora borealis come from?

Famed Italian astronomer and physicist Galileo — perhaps best known for research explaining that the sun, not the Earth, was at the centre of the universe — gets the credit.

Galileo is believed to have coined the phrase in 1623, according to discoverthearctic.com. The name is derived from the Latin words aurora (goddess of the dawn) and boreas (the northern wind).

Isn’t this the off-season for the Northern Lights?

Yes. Typically, they shine brightest in the fall and winter months and are most prominent further north.

However, Space.com points out that 2024 has been an unusual year in the sun’s travels.

During its 11-year solar cycle, the sun passes through a variety of phases, and it is currently nearing its peak — “solar maximum” — with more solar flares.

The aurora borealis also went provided a particularly active display throughout parts of North America in May.

How is the strength of the light measured?

Geomagnetic activity is measured on what is known as K or KP index, ranging from 0 to 9.

When the number is low, in the 0-2 range, it’s not likely to be seen brightly anywhere outside high northern climes. If the number is 8-9, the aurora borealis are extremely active and moving closer to the equator.

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Chisholm, of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, says the readings for Ottawa this week are expected to be in the middle range.

“The planetary K index is showing potential aurora Tuesday (KP 6), Wednesday (KP 5) and Thursday (KP 6),” Chisholm wrote in an email.

All that science is cool, but what are the chances of actually seeing crazy, colourful skies?

Keep an eye on the weather. The best chance of getting a good look might be late Thursday night or in the wee hours of Friday morning.

In keeping with Ottawa’s already rainy July, Environment Canada called for afternoon clouds Tuesday night, with a chance of evening showers and a risk of overnight thunderstorms.

The Wednesday forecast again called for partly cloudy skies, a chance of early evening showers and a possible thunderstorm.

Looking ahead to Thursday, though, clear skies are possible, Tuesday’s forecast said, so, instead of a thunderstorm, we could potentially see a storm of brilliant light.

kwarren@postmedia.com

X: Citizenkwarren

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