Solar Eclipse, extreme auroras and Comet of the Century

Toronto: 2024 was a stellar year for skywatchers in Canada. We had a total solar eclipse, the strongest solar storm in two decades, and the much-talked-about Comet of the Century.

On April 8, the Sun, Moon, and Earth aligned perfectly, giving us a total solar eclipse. People across North America got to see the Moon’s shadow dance across the land, especially in a narrow path from Mexico to eastern Canada.

Most folks in Canada saw a partial eclipse, but if you were in the Path of Totality, you experienced the Moon completely blocking the Sun. It was a sight to behold!

During totality, the solar corona was visible, and some cool solar prominences popped up too. These are massive arcs of solar plasma that can create stunning auroras when they erupt.

Fast forward to May 8, and the Sun unleashed an extreme X-class solar flare, followed by a massive coronal mass ejection. This led to the strongest geomagnetic storm in over 20 years, lighting up the night sky with auroras seen all over Canada and even as far south as the Caribbean.

And if you thought that was it, think again! Bright Northern Lights made appearances again in mid-August and early October. The Sun is super active right now, so more auroras are definitely on the way.

Now, let’s talk about the Comet of the Century, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Discovered in January 2023, it was expected to be a showstopper in the fall of 2024, and boy, did it deliver!

This comet surprised everyone with its brightness. It became visible to the naked eye and had a tail that was about 40 times longer than the Full Moon! It’s definitely living up to its title.

So, if you missed these cosmic events, don’t sweat it. The sky has more in store for us, and who knows what else we’ll get to see in the coming months!