Brief
Canada tops list of spots to see rare pink Northern Lights in 2026
Icelandair ranked Maligne Lake as the world’s best spot for pink auroras, with several other Canadian sites also scoring high.
By Felo News Desk · Published
According to a study by Icelandair, Canada offers the best locations to view the rare pink‑hued Northern Lights in 2026. The airline compared 35 aurora‑watching sites across eight countries, assessing darkness, accessibility, likelihood, scenery and the vividness of pink displays.
What happened
The research crowned Maligne Lake in Jasper, Alberta, as the top global spot for pink auroras, noting a “dominant vivid rose‑pink” display and a low Bortle rating of 3.2 that favours dark skies. Prelude Lake near Yellowknife, Yukon, ranked second in Canada, with a “very high” likelihood of pink lights from September through April. Wood Buffalo National Park, on the Alberta/Northwest Territories border, was highlighted for winter viewing starting in December.
What the reports add
Icelandair’s data show that while Maligne Lake leads overall, its likelihood of pink auroras is described as “medium,” whereas Prelude Lake’s chance is “very high.” The study also notes that the pink colour appears when energetic particles reach deeper atmospheric layers and interact with nitrogen, a phenomenon explained by the Canadian Space Agency.
What was said
Icelandair said the surrounding mountains and Spirit Island at Maligne Lake create ideal conditions for photography, and that the site is reachable by road from Jasper’s main resort area.
How it came about
The pink aurora forecast follows earlier Felo coverage of Canadian travel highlights, including a recent ranking of Canadian hotels and a feature on remote national parks, underscoring the country’s growing appeal for nature‑focused tourism.
Key facts
- Icelandair ranked Maligne Lake in Jasper as the top global spot to see pink Northern Lights in 2026. (dailyhive.com)
- Prelude Lake near Yellowknife was the second‑best Canadian location, with a very high likelihood of pink auroras from September to April. (dailyhive.com)
- The pink colour occurs when energetic particles interact with nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, according to the Canadian Space Agency. (dailyhive.com)
Sources
- [1] dailyhive.com — originally reported as “5 of the best places in Canada to see rare pink Northern Lights this year | Daily Hive | National”
