The Northern Lights prepared to put on the biggest show in decades in Canada

Ever wanted to catch a glimpse of the Arctic’s elusive answer to a rainbow, the northern lights? Good, because there has 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 its peak (the brighter it flares in space, the wilder and more impressive the display right here on Earth).

Experts say it’s likely the best chance to spy on them in two decades.

And you don’t have to drive to Norway or Iceland to see them: Some of the best seats for aurora chasers are just 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 phenomenon has made him nickname “Aurora”. Boy.” “If you’re in the right place, and it’s clear and dark, you can see it every night.”

But whether it’s a short burst at 3am, or a long show around midnight, come prepared to stay up late and sleep in the next day. “You will work from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m., not from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,” Ledvina said.

“Don’t over-schedule yourself because you don’t know what time the lights will show. And when you’re checking into a hotel, make sure they know that seeing the lights is key to your visit,” Scott Dunn travel specialist Angela Malek advised. “Most properties will offer a wake-up call to the Northern Lights.”

There are three key spots to watch them, Canuck-style. First, there’s Yellowknife, a city in the Northwest Territories just a 2-hour flight north from Calgary. It is barely 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle with terrain that is particularly flat and therefore ideal for panoramic views.

Yellowknife is just below the “auroral oval” — the latitude where the northern lights are always seen — and far from the ocean, which means stable weather. It also offers a chance to experience indigenous culture: Stay at Aurora Village, with its 21 traditional hills. Chipewyan Joe Buffalo Child is the best guide out there, showing how the lights were seen by the earliest Canadians.

You can also choose Canada’s other northernmost province, the Yukon, from the base of Whitehorse. “It’s just south of the auroral oval, but you get it almost every night,” Ledvina said.

This is the best option if you want to combine aurora chasing with adventure sports, be it snowmobiling on Lake Laberge or hiking in the reservoir. However, it is so far north that there is midnight sun in the summer, making the viewing season here shorter.

Arctic Range Adventure runs four-day tours here from about $750 per person, which includes a visit to Eclipse Nordic’s geothermal hot springs. Try to win the hair-freezing contest: It’s held every winter (the winner of each category, including best beard, scores roughly $1,500 in cash).

The smartest all-around base, however, is undoubtedly Churchill in far northern Manitoba. There’s plenty of wildlife to see while you’re waiting for the lights to appear, from arctic wolves and foxes to beluga whales (the polar bear population in the area is close to 1,000, almost guaranteeing a chance to see them).

Brendan McEwen, born and bred in the town, is now a guide for Frontiers North Adventures there. He organizes tours starting at around $5,200 per person, filling days with cultural experiences and nights with aurora chasing.

These take place in February and March, he explained, when the nights are coldest, the better to freeze water crystals in the air and create the clearest conditions. Smartphone technology has improved so much that you can rely on that camera to capture what you see, but don’t run out of juice. “Extreme cold can drain your batteries,” he warned.

Aurora Guy Ledvina said your phone can be useful in other ways. Our eyes often struggle to pick out the details of a subtle light storm, so snap a photo when you spot what the aurora might be.

“It might not be a pretty picture, but if you see some sort of green, red or purple, you can tell it’s not a normal cloud,” he said. Another tip: Use a flashlight and shine it under your chin, Blair Witch-style, and it’ll trick your eyes into going into daylight mode when they’ll pick up color details better. Just make sure you wrap up warm and bring some gloves – the average temperature in winter is below 7 degrees.