A massive solar flare has resulted in the strongest solar radiation storm since 2005, according to a US agency responsible for monitoring space weather.
VIDEO: Solar flare
The sun erupted late on January 22 and NASA says the event resulted in a “burst of fast-moving, highly energetic protons” heading towards earth.
This giant flare has the potential to disrupt satellites, and some flights over the North Pole are being re-routed to avoid the radiation, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Centre.
NASA says the particles are moving at almost 2253 kilometres per second and will hit the Earth’s atmosphere around 1 am Wednesday (Australian EST). The radiation may also have contributed to strong aurora borealis displays in the northern hemisphere.
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