The northern lights made a rare appearance across Nova Scotia and most of Atlantic Canada on Friday night.

Normally restricted to more northern regions, the phenomenon could be seen in the&nbsp; skies across Canada on Friday.

According to the&nbsp;U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration the northern lights could be seen&nbsp;as far south as Alabama and northern California.

The unusual appearance was caused by recent increased solar activity.

A silhouette of a donkey is seen with the northern lights in the background.

Aurora borealis

Charged particles&nbsp;from the sun interact with the earth's magnetic field and cause molecules in the upper atmosphere to create&nbsp;fluttering curtains of&nbsp;light.

Green hued northern lights with trees in the foreground

Aurora borealis in Annapolis Valley, N.S.

People across the province took to social media to share their photos of the northern lights in their community.

Purple-hued northern lights with trees in the foreground.

A church is seen in the foreground with northern lights illuminating the sky behind.

Arurora borealis

A lit house in the foreground with northern lights behind.

Aurora borealis lighting up the sky in Hillside Boularderie, N.S.

Trees silhouettes in the foreground with northern lights in the sky behind.

Aurora in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia from May 11, 2024<a href="https://twitter.com/lookner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lookner</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Aurora?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Aurora</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NovaScotia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NovaScotia</a> <a href="https://t.co/UmpH65Immo">pic.twitter.com/UmpH65Immo</a>

Halifax’s majestic Capitol Theatre was torn down 50 years ago — but its joy lives on

Author and history buff Cynthia Henry still has elaborate decorations, like gargoyles and chandeliers, that were saved from Halifax’s Capitol Theatre before it was torn down in 1974. It operated for 44 years at the corner of Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road.

Split screen with a woman in a red sweater sitting on a couch on one side and a black and white photo of a movie theatre on the other side.

Cynthia Henry is the author of Remembering the Halifax Capitol Theatre 

Cynthia Henry

DFO seeks to reassure fishermen after 'scary' map released of potential protected areas

A member of the Fisheries Department's marine planning group was publicly challenged in Nova Scotia this week to guarantee marine protected areas will not harm the region's inshore lobster fishery.

a man stands behind two sitting at a testimony table in a council chamber. 

Dan Fleck, of the Brazil Rock Lobster Association, representing inshore fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia. Fleck went to a microphone and politely confronted Marty King with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans marine planning group. 

Marine Protected Areas 

Dan Fleck of the Brazil Rock Lobster Association approaches Marty King with DFO's marine planning group during his appearance Thursday before Argyle municipal council. 

Province, HRM and Port of Halifax discussing land swaps

The provincial government is prepared to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Halifax Regional Municipality and the Port of Halifax that it says will help meet the growing demand for modern transportation links and housing needs.

A sign reads Welcome to Nova Scotia in both English and French. There is snow on the ground and the sun is setting in the distance.

The border between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick on Monday, Mar. 23, 2020. 

Welcome to Nova Scotia sign

The province says the memorandum of understanding will help address the need for modern transportation links and housing.

$10M project will expand Mount Saint Vincent child-care centre amid 'tremendous' need

Officials with Mount Saint Vincent University and the provincial and federal governments announced plans Friday for a new $10-million child-care centre on the university campus that will create 82 new child-care spaces.

A mother holds her son as the two look at a book together.

Melanie Waye reads with her son, Xander, during an announcement at Mount Saint Vincent University on Friday.

Melanie Waye

Landlords sign on to Halifax's new rental registry, tens of thousands of units listed

The deadline for landlords in HRM to register their rental units under a new bylaw was April 1. So far, 66,590 units have registered.

Halifax Regional Municipality has implemented a mandatory rental property registry that collects information on landlords and their properties. 

Rent sign

The northern lights could be seen in East Gore, N.S.

Northern lights paint spectacular picture in Nova Scotia sky

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