The sun has unleashed the most powerful solar flare since 2017, just days after it spat out another monster explosion. Both outbursts have launched solar storms that will likely hit Earth this weekend and trigger vibrant aurora displays.

The sun is in a spirited mood as it kicks out a glowing series of solar flares, including a fresh X9 that's the most intense we've seen in years.

A powerful solar flare has been hurled out of the Sun, and could cause disruption on Earth. The flare comes amid increasing solar activity that has brought a run of intense space weather in recent days and weeks.

Earth is bracing for blackouts after the sun unleashed a massive X-class solar flare — the most powerful it can generate — Tuesday evening.

The Sun unleashed a powerful X9.0 solar flare, the most intense in over 7 years. On October 3, 2024, the Sun emitted an exceptionally powerful X9.0 solar flare, peaking at 8:18 a.m. ET. This event, captured vividly by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory,

NASA explain: "Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However — when intense enough — they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS & communications signals travel."

An explosion happened on the sun Oct. 3, 2024, producing the most powerful solar flare since 2017 and kicking off a series of solar storms headed for Earth.