
This image captured in the 304 Angstrom wavelength, which is typically colorized in red provided by NASA shows a solar flare, lower center, erupting from the sun on Thursday, July 12, 2012. Space weather scientists said there should be little impact to Earth. The flare erupted from a region which rotated into view on July 6, 2012. (AP Photo/NASA)
The blast of charged solar particles was due to arrive Saturday morning and shake Earth’s magnetic field. Space weather forecasters say it will be a minor event and they don’t expect disruptions to power grids or communications systems.
The storm began Thursday when the sun unleashed a huge flare that sent a stream of particles speeding toward Earth at 3 million mph.
There’s a bright side to stormy space weather: It tends to create colorful northern lights. Scientists say shimmering colorful auroras may be visible at the United States-Canada border and northern Europe this weekend.










