'It was a whole dance of lights': Aurora borealis peeks through the clouds in Vancouver
Samuel Troya saw the northern lights over Vancouver once before, about a year and a half ago, but it was nothing like the spectacle he witnessed Friday morning.
"That day, it was only a soft glow over the city," Troya said of his previous encounter with the aurora borealis.
"Yesterday's was breathtaking. It was a whole dance of lights all across the sky at one point."
Troya is just one of numerous skywatchers across Vancouver and across the country who turned their eyes – and camera lenses – to the heavens overnight.
The recent UBC graduate told CTV News he's passionate about landscape photography and knew he wanted to try to take advantage of the geomagnetic storm watch that was expected to produce colourful auroras across northern skies Thursday night.
"It's definitely so, so luck-based," Troya said. "What's crazy about last night is that it was forecasted, but Vancouver being Vancouver, it was super cloudy, so I never even thought that I was going to see them."
"I woke up at 2 a.m. By chance, I saw that the sky was clear, so I grabbed my stuff and rushed to the beach to see if I could see something."
Photos and a short video that Troya shared with CTV News were recorded around 2:30 a.m. at Kits Beach, he said.
Originally from Ecuador, he said he's lived in Vancouver for six years, and has always found the city and surrounding landscape breathtaking. A desire to share the city's sights with friends and family is what motivated him to get out of bed in the middle of the night, he said.
"It's such a beautiful city, and I just love being able to share everything that it has, including northern lights from time to time," Troya said.
Thursday night's display was a result of an Earth-facing coronal hole on the sun and solar winds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
For those who missed the northern lights overnight Thursday, NOAA says there's still a chance for another show Friday night.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live updates: What star witness in Trump hush money case has said on the stand so far
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial took the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
Wildfire smoke drifts across Canada, over parts of U.S., prompting air quality advisories
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
'A great victory for the industry': Taxi drivers celebrate ruling that found City of Ottawa negligent in allowing Uber to operate
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled that the City of Ottawa was negligent in its enforcement of the city's taxi bylaw when it allowed Uber to begin operating in 2014, harming the city's established taxi industry.
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sues for defamation over National Enquirer, InTouch Weekly stories
'Judge Judy' Sheindlin sued the parent company of the National Enquirer and InTouch Weekly on Monday for a story that she said falsely claimed that she was trying to help the Menendez brothers get a retrial after they were convicted of murdering their parents.
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.’s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease’s progression.
New York City FC coach repeats denial of allegations he punched a Toronto FC player
New York City FC coach Nick Cushing has repeated his denial of allegations that he punched a Toronto FC player, saying he is shocked and upset at the claim.