Gallery: Airdrie residents capture stunning celestial light show

As thousands of mesmerizing photos of the Northern Lights flooded social media over the weekend, Airdrie residents didn't disappoint with their spectacular captures of the aurora borealis.

Tara Theede took this photo at Pine Lake, about one hour northeast of Airdrie. (Photo credit to Tara Theede) 

A  geomagnetic storm watch that was issued last week by the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center, turned out to provide a stunning display of the Northern Lights across Canada on Friday evening.

Local Angela Stone captured the dancing northern lights in the heart of Airdrie in Elk Hill. (Photo credit to Angela Stone)

NOAA had also predicted another intense geomagnetic storm on Saturday and Sunday, however, many parts of Alberta had an obscured view due to smoke and clouds. Nonetheless, it appears that this weekend's aurora may have been the most intense showing in some time, with some saying that this past weekend's light show may have been the most intense in decades.

Annie Dalton saw this outside her window in Summerhill. (Photo credit to Annie Dalton)

According to the Canadian Space Agency's explanation, when The Sun emits electrons and protons into space, this is called a solar wind and The Earth's magnetic field forms an invisible shield that redirects the solar wind around our planet.

Clare Fidler saw this just northeast of Airdrie on Range Road 291. (Photo credit to Clare Fidler)

"As Earth's magnetic field protects us from the solar wind, the magnetic field lines are dragged and stretched. They snap back like an elastic band, launching charged particles down toward Earth's surface along the magnetic field lines. Auroras occur when these charged particles launched along Earth's magnetic field collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere."

Ellaine Caturay snapped this while on her balcony in Mackenzie Way in the city. (Photo credit to Ellaine Caturay) 

The collisions then produce, 'tiny flashes that fill the sky with colourful light.'

Daphne Stevenson was northwest of Airdrie when she took this photo of the night sky. (Photo credit to Daphne Stevenson)

"This light works the same way as a neon lamp or an old cathode ray tube television set. As billions of flashes occur in sequence, the auroras appear to move or "dance" in the sky."

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