Look up! That’s the core message of this year’s global celebration of the skies. UNESCO and the International Astronomical Union has named 2009 the International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009), a worldwide event coordinated with the 400^th anniversary of the first use of a telescope by Italian scientist Galileo. IYA2009 wants everyone to crack out the hot chocolate and spend an evening identifying stars, telling stories and learning about the universe.

Here in Canada, there’s a louder message hailing from North of 60—look up north! Astronomy buffs point out that Galileo was, in fact, the first to coin the term “Aurora Borealis,” and this puts the spotlight on the Northern Lights. Special IYA2009 events are planned in the hottest aurora viewing spots. With the sun nearing a peak in its 11-year sunspot cycle, auroral displays are expected to be particularly strong for the next few years. It all adds up to ideal conditions for aurora viewing in Canada’s north.

If you’ve never seen the Northern Lights, you need to put these spectacular phenomena on your “must see” list. The sight of dancing bands of colour across a dark sky is a reminder of the inherent magic of nature and a welcome reprieve from the rigours of daily life. Thankfully, our friends in the north have taken some of the guesswork out of finding these celestial light shows. Now you can log on to websites in Yellowknife, NWT and Whitehorse, YT for extended aurora forecasts; tour operators in both northern capitals offer aurora-viewing packages.

travelyukon.ca
www.explorenwt.com
www.explorenwt.com/adventures/northern-lights/index.asp
travelyukon.com/thingstodo/outdooractivities/auroraborealisnorthernlightstours