Thompson sits at the southern edge of the auroral oval — the band of latitude where the northern lights are most often visible — and offers one of the more accessible mainland-Canadian places to see strong displays. Late August through early April are the best viewing months, with the longest dark windows and clearest skies in mid-winter despite the cold.
Head a few minutes out of town to escape the streetlights. Pisew Falls Provincial Park (75 km south) and the highway pullouts toward Paint Lake are popular spots. Dress for −30°C; aurora photography means standing around in subarctic winter air for an hour or more.