I had the opportunity to experience a range of seasonal characteristics in Canada from turquoise blue lakes to leafs of yellow, orange and red hues, snow-capped mountains and the spectacular aurora borealis; and not forgetting all things maple - from maple biscuits, maple butter, to maple-flavoured ice cream! If you're looking to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis also known as the northern lights, you may wish to consider Canada. While it doesn't appear on the top of the list for popular places to see the lights, some cities in Canada such as Yellowknife and Yukon sits within the auroral oval, a ring near the Earth's North Pole where the aurora borealis manifests itself at its peak. The best conditions for viewing the lights include cloudless skies, long dark nights, away from city lights, and the absence of moon light (avoid the full moon as far as possible). Contrary to popular belief, the equinoxes (Mar & Sept) may in fact be the best time to view the lights. I for one, saw the lights in Sept - so do keep your options open. There are also many mobile apps available out there to monitor the degree of intensity of the aurora (the higher the Kp, the higher the auroral activity), so do give it a go and check out the apps!
