Aurora Above the Maples: Just North of Toronto | October 2024 |

In October 2024, a rare G3 geomagnetic storm lit up skies across southern Ontario, Canada. I know many go hunting northern lights to the remotest northern locations.

But this time, tucked away in Nashville Conservation Reserve, just outside the Toronto city lights, I found myself under a sky exploding in green, violet, and pink. This blog is a visual diary of that extraordinary night: where fall seasonal tones meets the cosmic glow.

The Unexpected Show

A news alert popped up on my phone predicting increased Northern Lights activity in the southern region of Canada. With no expectations, I went to the nearest dark area to avoid light pollution. No lengthy drives or northern expeditions, just 20 min drive north west of Toronto, a camera and a lucky night. On a chilly late evening, I moved away from the parking lot to avoid the headlights of other visitors, following a faint green band on the horizon.

A few moments later what I got was an aurora outburst no one saw coming. Ribbons of green, red and violet tearing through the sky.

Green Between the Trees

Between the black outlines of tall pines, waves of light slipped through. It was silent, steady and surreal. The trees didn’t move, but the sky did.

The sky put on a spectacular show, and all I could do was absorb it in amazement.

Aurora Borealis is a phenomenon that feels otherworldly, and a camera cannot truly capture what my eyes experienced. This beauty is etched in my memory to be treasured until the next time.