A giant plasma eruption from the sun. Sun footage by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/ SDO

This incredible footage from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/SDO shows a giant plasma eruption from the sun. The eruption, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), is a burst of charged particles from the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona. CMEs can travel through space at millions of miles per hour and can interact with Earth's magnetic field, causing geomagnetic storms.Show more

Geomagnetic storms can disrupt radio communications, power grids, and satellites. They can also create beautiful auroras over the poles.

In this video, the CME is seen erupting from the sun's surface and traveling through space. The CME is so large that it dwarfs the Earth.

This video is a reminder of the power of the sun and the importance of space weather forecasting. By monitoring the sun and its activity, scientists can predict when CMEs are likely to occur and help us to mitigate their effects.