One of the most unexpected highlights of my Canada trip happened on October 11, 2024 – and I still can’t believe it. I saw the Aurora Borealis for the first time. No long drive to the Yukon or hours of chasing forecasts. Just one random night in Abbotsford, a friend who knew I was in Canada texted me to let me know the northern lights might be visible. I told my family right away and rushed outside with my camera, and when we looked up, there it was.
It had been all over the news that there was going to be strong geomagnetic activity that weekend, but I didn’t think we’d actually see anything from here. Abbotsford isn’t exactly known for aurora sightings, and with all the city lights, I figured it wouldn’t be visible. My uncle, who'd been hosting us, also said that they've never seen it. But when the skies cleared up late that night, there it was – faint at first, then slowly dancing across the sky in soft green and red streaks.
At first, I just snapped a few photos from the front yard. But then my uncle said we could get a better view if we drove out a bit, so we all jumped in the car and headed to a nearby open field, maybe 15 minutes away. A few other people had the same idea, as there were several cars parked along the road, all with their eyes on the sky.
Seeing the northern lights in person felt surreal – peaceful, quiet, and kind of magical. Definitely one of those moments I’ll remember for a long time.
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