Northern lights primed to put on biggest show in decades over Canada

Ever wanted to catch a glimpse of the elusive Arctic answer to a rainbow, the northern lights? Good, because there’s never been a better time than this winter.Thanks to a quirk of solar physics, the aurora borealis is primed for a peak parade as the sun’s activity is at max (the feistier it flares in space, the wilder and more impressive the show right here on Earth).Experts say it’s likely to be the finest chance to spy them in two decades.And you don’t have to trek to Norway or Iceland to glimpse them, either: Some of the best perches for aurora chasers are right over the border.“We have an advantage in North America because the geomagnetic north pole is closer to Canada, and so we can see the aurora at lower latitudes than in Europe,” explained Vincent Ledvina, whose obsession with the phenom has earned him the nickname “the Aurora Guy.” “If you’re in the right place, and it’s clear and dark, you can see it every single night.”But whether is a brief burst at 3 a.m., or a long show around midnight, come ready to stay up late, and sleep in the next day.“You’re going to be working a 5 p.m.

to 9 a.m., not a 9 a.m.to 5 p.m.,” said Ledvina.“Don’t over-schedule yourself as you never know what time the lights will show.

And when you’re checking in at a hotel, make sure they know that seeing the lights is key for your visit,” advised Scott Dunn travel specialist Angela Malek.“Most properties will offer a Northern Lights wake-up call.”There are three key spots to see them, Canuck-style.

First, there’s Yellowknife, a town in the Northwest Territories just a 2-hour flight north from Calgary.It’s barely 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle with terrain that’s particularly flat and therefore ideal for wide-ranging views.Yellowknife is right under the “auroral oval” — the latitude where northern lights are always spotted — and far from the ocean, which mean stable weather.

It also offers a chance to experience indigeno...