People in Toronto and across southern Ontario were fortunate enough to witness the rare sight of the Northern Lights on Thursday evening, and for those who missed out on the magnificent event, social media is teeming with photos and videos of the show in all its glory.

Usually reserved for the northern parts of the world that sit under the auroral zone, the lights were shockingly clear in and around parts of the GTA.

Even downtown Toronto was treated to an appearance.

Northern lights seen across Toronto downtown. #aurora #Auroraborealis #northernlights #Toronto #Canada pic.twitter.com/NagYo0r5pT

— Rishabh (@rishabh1308) October 11, 2024

Residents captured stunning shots showing streaks of all sorts of hues, the night sky lighting up with greens, pinks, yellows, purples and reds as the borealis danced overhead.

The #NorthernLights (#AuroraBorealis) from Southern Ontario tonight! Coolest thing I’ve ever seen pic.twitter.com/42Pqnhx412

— ✨ Kayla Thomson ✨ (@kayla__thomson) May 11, 2024

While the spectacle was, of course, more dramatic in more rural zones further north, it was even visible in downtown Toronto with all of our light pollution, and surprisingly clearly, too.

You can add midtown Toronto to the Northern Lights crew! Crazy to see it cut through all the light pollution! pic.twitter.com/YmNNyhdn22

— Sharmin R. (@srahman24) October 11, 2024

Viewers in neighbourhoods like Leslieville, Kensington Market and Mount Pleasant were astounded to be able to see the phenomenon so well in what was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some in these parts.

Leslieville Aurora Timelapse
byu/tapedelay intoronto

The Auroras are appearing this far south due to severe geomagnetic storms, happening more freqently now as the sun is in an especially active period of its regular cycle.

Though this cycle is 11 years long, there have been more bursts of energy through solar flares and coronal mass ejections — and thus, more chances to see the Northern Lights — than we've seen in two decades, experts say.

A timelapse of The Northern Lights, just north of Toronto, Canada! pic.twitter.com/lH9s69SQl0

— ArcticSkyWolf 🔜 AFC (@ArcticSkyWolf) October 11, 2024

Even if you missed out on Thursday, there's another chance to see the display from Mother Nature on Friday night, when auroral activity is still at a peak. Your best bet is to head out of the city, ideally to somewhere like a dark sky preserve, if you can.