The sun is pictured in this NASA handout satellite image taken July 12, 2012, shortly before it released an X-class flare
The earth is due to be hit this morning by a massive blast of solar radiation that NASA warns could temporarily disrupt satellite communications and power grids.
The solar storm began Thursday when a sunspot unleashed a huge flare that hurled a cloud of highly charged particles toward earth at almost 5-million kilometres an hour.
Scientists say it's the strongest sun storm so far this summer, adding it could be up to 300-thousand kilometres long.
NASA says the solar eruption could trigger an exceptional northern lights display that may be seen as far south as Alabama and California.
There have been five previous solar outbursts already this year, but none caused any problems on Earth.