by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 8:05 PM ET, Mon October 12, 2026
New research from Icelandair has named Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta, the best place in the world to see rare pink Northern Lights in 2026, with several other Canadian destinations earning recognition.
The airline says it analyzed 35 Northern Lights viewing locations worldwide, considering the intensity of pink aurora colours, darkness of the night sky, likelihood of sightings, accessibility and surrounding scenery.
Prelude Lake near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, ranked fourth globally, while Wood Buffalo National Park, Fish Lake in Yukon and Churchill, Manitoba, also made Canada's top five.
The findings come as solar activity remains elevated following the peak of the Sun's current 11-year cycle, creating opportunities to witness auroras in colours beyond the familiar green, including red, purple and pink.
Pink auroras are relatively rare and can occur when energetic particles interact with nitrogen molecules lower in the Earth's atmosphere.
Jasper Takes the Global Crown
Maligne Lake claimed first place in Icelandair's ranking thanks to its dark skies, mountain scenery and the vivid rose-pink colour recorded in aurora imagery analyzed for the study.
The location received a Bortle rating of 3.2, indicating relatively dark skies with limited light pollution. On the Bortle scale, lower numbers indicate darker skies, which can improve visibility of the Northern Lights.
The study identified a dominant rose-pink shade (#D23574) in the aurora displays analyzed at Maligne Lake.
Its setting, including the surrounding mountains and Spirit Island, also contributed to its ranking. Unlike some more remote aurora-viewing destinations, Maligne Lake is accessible by road from Jasper.
Canada’s top five destinations for viewing rare pink Northern Lights in 2026. (Photo Credit: Icelandair)
Yellowknife Cracks the Global Top Five
Prelude Lake, near Yellowknife, placed fourth worldwide and second among Canadian destinations.
Its location beneath the auroral zone, combined with dark skies and road accessibility, makes it a notable Northern Lights viewing location.
The viewing season typically runs from September through April, and the lake received a Bortle rating of 3.0.
Aurora imagery analyzed in the study showed a more subdued, dusky pink shade (#875360).
Wood Buffalo, Yukon and Churchill Round Out Canada's Top Five
Wood Buffalo National Park ranked 16th globally but stood out for the intensity of its pink auroras.
The study identified a hot-pink shade (#EE086D) with 97% colour saturation, among the most vivid results recorded for Canadian locations.
The park also had the darkest skies of Canada's top five destinations, with a Bortle rating of 2.1. As the world's largest designated Dark-Sky Preserve, Wood Buffalo offers extensive areas with minimal artificial lighting.
Its strongest Northern Lights viewing periods generally fall between late August and September and again from December through February.
Fish Lake in Yukon placed fourth in the Canadian ranking, with a Northern Lights viewing season stretching from August to April.
The study identified a deep raspberry-pink shade (#B50546), also with 97% saturation. Its Bortle rating of 4.1 indicates somewhat more light pollution than Maligne Lake or Wood Buffalo, although its mountain setting provides an appealing backdrop for aurora photography.
Churchill, Manitoba, completed Canada's top five.
Known for its location beneath the auroral zone, Churchill offers Northern Lights viewing opportunities from September through April.
The research identified a softer mauve-rose colour (#955672) in its aurora imagery.
Churchill received a Bortle rating of 5.7, the highest light-pollution level among the five Canadian destinations analyzed, although its northern location continues to make it a recognized aurora-viewing destination.
Tips for Capturing the Northern Lights on an iPhone
For travellers hoping to photograph the Northern Lights, Icelandair's research also included several smartphone photography recommendations.
On supported iPhone models, Night Mode can help capture more detail in low-light conditions. Travellers should turn off the flash and experiment with exposure settings, with -0.7 suggested as a starting point for exposure compensation.
Holding the phone steady is particularly important when photographing auroras, as longer exposures can produce blurry images if the camera moves. A tripod can help, while shooting horizontally allows photographers to capture more of the surrounding landscape.
For Canadian travel advisors, the findings provide another angle for promoting domestic winter and shoulder-season travel, particularly in destinations where Northern Lights viewing can be combined with other outdoor experiences.
However, the rankings are based partly on the colours captured in aurora imagery, rather than a forecast of where pink auroras are most likely to occur. As with any Northern Lights experience, sightings depend on solar activity, weather conditions and visibility.
And while there's no guarantee of seeing the sky turn pink, Canada has no shortage of places to try.
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