Residents in the southern parts of Canada have enjoyed dazzling night skies filled with vibrant colors such as purples, pinks, and greens due to heightened solar activity over the last couple of years.
However, the spectacle of the northern lights will diminish as the sun transitions into a calmer phase of its 11-year cycle.
The most optimal locations to witness the auroras will continue to be in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut, where the auroral oval, a luminous ring encircling the Earth’s magnetic poles, is most prominent, according to Ethen Sun, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto’s David A. Dunlap astronomy and astrophysics department.
As solar activity decreases, sightings of auroras in southern Canada, including regions in Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, will become less frequent, Sun explained.
The sun undergoes phases of intense solar maximum and low-activity solar minimum.
“We are currently approximately a year and a half past the peak,” Sun stated. “The activity is now declining, and it will eventually reach its minimum around 2031. Although the solar cycle is still quite active, as we are in the descending phase, it will gradually decrease.”
Sun described the solar maximum phase as characterized by coronal mass ejections, flares, sunspot increases, and geomagnetic storms, resulting in vivid displays of the northern lights.
Nevertheless, above the 60th parallel, auroras can be observed almost nightly regardless of solar activity levels.
The prime time to witness the auroras is between September and April, especially during the spring and autumn equinoxes, Sun noted.
Even within the auroral oval, some of the intense aurora displays seen in recent years may fade as solar activity diminishes, signaling a decrease in the peak viewing opportunities.
“The additional colors and movements are typically observed during stormy conditions,” Sun added.
Arctic skies – a reliable stage for auroras on Earth
Reports from Tourism Yukon in 2024 and 2025 indicated that the territory aimed to leverage the “solar max” period from 2023 to 2025, with the northern lights serving as a significant attraction for tourists.
The reports highlighted that visitors from the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia showed particular interest in witnessing the northern lights.
According to the government’s data, tourism contributed $484 million to Yukon’s economy in 2025.
Aaron Ratko, a board member of the Wilderness Tourism Association of Yukon, shared that he has observed tourists visiting during various seasons.
Ratko mentioned that it is common for first-time visitors to Yukon to arrive in winter, enduring temperatures around -40°C to experience the auroras.
“Returning visitors come back to witness the auroras during the fall when lighter clothing can be worn, and they can explore different day tours,” Ratko explained.
“While the auroras attract them back, they are mostly intrigued by the diverse day tours and experiences available.”
Ratko’s company does not actively track the solar maximum cycle. He remarked, “I believe this cycle has extended the auroras further south, and the auroras have been promoting themselves.”
Alex Stubbing, the CEO of Travel Nunavut