Northwest Territories - Northern Lights

Tomorrow is Canada’s 150^th Birthday so Happy Birthday Canada! We are keeping with the Canadian Province theme and this week we have the Northwest Territories. Our focus is on the Northern Lights. They are a spectacular sight to see if you get the chance to.

Although you can see them in the Yukon, Nunavut, and Alaska as well, some say that the best spot to see them is in the Northwest Territories. They are located in the Northern and Southern hemispheres over each magnetic pole. The Auroras in both hemispheres tend to mirror each other with similar shapes and colours happening at the same time.

The lights are created by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding and entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Something I did not know before was that the lights you see in the North are known as the Aurora Borealis and the lights in the South are the Aurora Australis.  

Take a look at the photos. What colours do you see? Many colours are often present but pale green and pink are the most commonly spotted colours. Other shades you might see are...blue, violet, red, and yellow. They also may take on different looks as well as you can see below. 

The best time of the year to watch the lights is winter because it’s darker more often and there are more frequent clear nights. 

 

Some of the best places to see the lights in the Northwest Territories are...

The Salt Plains – This is so neat. You can walk barefoot on the Salt Plains where “saline minerals leach from an ancient seabed, turning the world white and crystalline.”

Blachford Lake Lodge – For a relaxing rustic stay this is the place to book for your trip to the NWT. It also offers great views of the Northern Lights.

Great Slave Lake – It’s the second largest lake in the NWT and the deepest in North America (the sixth deepest on Earth!) Rent a boat and it would be a very romantic place to watch the lights.

Alexandra Falls – Considered the greatest waterfall in the NWT at 10 stories high.

The Snow Castle – A castle made out of snow each season is a cool adventure for adults and kids and a perfect spot to see the lights.

Wood Buffalo National Park – This is the largest park in Canada (bigger than Switzerland) so there are many great spots to look at the Northern Lights and you’ll see Buffalo.

In an Igloo – An experience you won’t ever forget.

Yellowknife Bay – This is another romantic and cute spot with a floating village and houseboats that you can stay on. A perfect comfortable place to view the lights.

Aurora Village – “A place where traditional Aboriginal culture blends together with modern amenities for  a truly remarkable experience.” This is the world’s epicentre for watching the Northern Lights you can’t stay at a better place for getting the full Northern Light experience.

Houseboat Bay – Go for a kayak ride around the houseboats in the summer. Or even better, stay in them during the winter for a cozy vacation at one of the bed and breakfasts and snuggle up to watch the lights above.

For more info about the Northwest Territories and the Northern Lights look here...

http://auroravillage.com/

https://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html

http://spectacularnwt.com/