Solar flare

A solar flare is captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory as Nasa's Space Weather Services estimated that it travelled at over 1 000km/s. (Nasa, SDO, AFP)

This handout image provided by NASA, taken January 22, shows a solar flare erupting on the Sun's northeastern hemisphere. Space weather officials say the strongest solar storm in more than six years is already bombarding Earth with radiation. (Nasa, SDO, AFP)

This colorized NASA image, taken January 23, from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, shows a flare shooting out of the top of the sun. It was taken in a special teal wavelength to best see the flare. (Nasa, SDO, AFP)

Gigantic bursts of radiation cannot pass through the Earth's atmosphere to harm humans on the ground, however they can disrupt the atmosphere and disrupt GPS and communications signals. (Nasa, SDO, AFP)

This image released by Nasa in 2000, shows a solar flare that leapt from the sun and travelled towards the Earth at an average speed of 2,000 km/sec.