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Chance of Northern Lights and meteors this weekend

The Northern Lights with a meteor (right) captured on Aug. 4. Courtesy of Bill Longo

TORONTO – If you’re out trying to catch some “shooting stars” from the Perseid meteor shower Saturday night, you might get an extra treat.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters estimate that there is a 65 per cent chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Aug. 10 when one – and maybe two – coronal mass ejections (CME) hit Earth’s magnetic field.

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A coronal mass ejection is a release of plasma and particles from the sun. The Earth’s magnetic fields funnel the particles to the poles and the particles interact with our magnetic fields, producing the Northern Lights.

So this weekend would be a perfect time to grab a lawn chair or a beach towel and lie down with your head facing the stars. It could be a magical night.

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