The sun has burped out bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections that could reach Earth Tuesday night. Forecasters said the vibrant displays could be visible across much of the northern U.S.

Officials say the CME is expected to arrive at and partially impact Earth around mid-day on November 12. “The potential for elevated geomagnetic response and dependent upon the orientation of the embedded magnetic field, potential exists for Severe Storm levels,” NWSSPWC said.

The British Geological Society is warning that the Earth is about to get hit by the most powerful solar storm in over two decades.

A geomagnetic storm on Earth triggered by a large burst of solar radiation has temporarily grounded a Blue Origin rocket carrying twin NASA satellites built to measure space

Space Weather Centre (part of the SANSA Space Science division and based at Hermanus in the Western Cape) has warned that the current geomagnetic storm hitting the Earth would likely continue until Friday.

Increased solar activity causes auroras that dance around Earth’s poles, known as the northern lights, or aurora borealis, and southern lights, or aurora australis. When the energized particles from coronal mass ejections reach Earth’s magnetic field, they interact with gases in the atmosphere to create different colored lights in the sky.

Spectacular displays of auroras at abnormally low latitudes were expected again Wednesday night into Thursday, a result of intense solar activity which also carries risks to communication networks.

The largest solar storm to hit our planet for more than 20 years will disrupt communications and satellite navigation systems, the British Geological Survey has warned. The organisation has upgraded its geomagnetic forecast to the highest intensity level amid what has been dubbed a “cannibal storm”.