Solar radiation storm hits Earth

Earth is in the midst of the strongest radiation storm in almost seven years after a solar flare erupted from the sun.

The flare, known as a coronal mass ejection, burst from the sun at 11pm (EST) on Sunday evening and experts have been seeing the effects of it ever since.

The solar radiation storm, which is the strongest since May 2005, saw protons shoot out of the sun at a speed of 93 million miles an hour.

The associated geomagnetic storming can affect satellites, power grids and plane routes travelling close to the North Pole.

The Space Weather Prediction Center in the US said last night the storm had "continued to rise very slowly throughout the day" yesterday and should hit its peak shortly.

Solar storms can cause power blackouts and pull the Northern Lights further south, although it is not thought the phenomena will dip too far in the sky this time. The sun has cycles of storm activity and we are heading towards a solar maximum in 2013.

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