2024 has been a memorable time for nature and astronomy enthusiasts. Rich in rare and spectacular celestial phenomena, it offered three exceptional moments which will have left their mark.
1. The total solar eclipse of April 8
© René Leclerc / QMI Agency
On April 8, part of Canada was at the heart of a spectacular astronomical phenomenon: a total solar eclipse. The Moon passed between the Earth and the Sun to completely hide it for a short time. It was the first total eclipse in over 50 years on Quebec territory – the last dating back to 1972 – and we will have to wait over 80 years to see the next one, in 2106.
Many Quebecers, enthusiasts or simply curious, went out and gathered under a clear sky to observe this impressive phenomenon.
© Martin Alarie / Le Journal de Montréal / Agence QMI
As mentioned above, the next total eclipse will only take place in 2106 in Quebec. If you want to see a total eclipse again soon, know that it is possible to observe other total eclipses around the world by 2030.
2. The Northern Lights visible even in southern Quebec
© Courtesy photo / PhilipeMoussette.com
The year 2024 was an exceptional year for the Northern Lights, thanks to particularly intense solar activity. This led to auroras that were more intense, more numerous, longer and, above all, visible much further south than in “normal” years. In Quebec, this was particularly seen last May: the nights of May 10 and 11 amazed all Quebecers. These magical phenomena have attracted curious people and photographers from all walks of life.
Luckily, 2025 is expected to continue the momentum of 2024 and is expected to be another great year for the Northern Lights, with peak solar activity, which will have a direct impact on the vividness of the Northern Lights.
Also read : This city in Canada where you are sure to see the northern lights, polar bears and belugas
3. Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
© AFP
Last October, comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) crossed the Quebec sky – well almost, some 70 million kilometers from Earth. This ball of ice and dust, leaving behind a long luminous trail, was thus visible to the naked eye or with binoculars.
This comet, discovered for the first time in February 2023 by the Purple Mountain Observatory (Tsuchinshan) in China and the ATLAS system in South Africa, is described by experts as the “comet of the century”, because it would be up to '100 times brighter than its peers.
