Solar Flare
A solar flare occurring at 11 p.m. on Sunday caused a mass coronal ejection, a burst of charged particles, causing the biggest solar storm to hit the Earth in more than eight years. NASA

The material from Sunday's solar storm created a spectacular art show of northern lights on Tuesday. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center said the the solar storm was the strongest in more than eight years.

NDTV reported that the bright flares stunned stargazers because of the intensity of the aurora borealis that decorated the night sky in northern Scandinavia.

It has been absolutely incredible, British astronomer John Mason told The Associated Press from the deck ofa cruise ship traveling the coast of northern Norway. I saw my first aurora 40 years ago, and this is one of the best.

The storms auroras made it to Wales, according to NDTV. NOAA said they heard of no problems associated with the storm.

CNN reported that some airlines diverted planes from routes near the north pole because of the storm, as it could affect radio communications and put passengers at high altitudes at a higher than normal radiation risk.

Physicist Doug Biesecker at Colorado's Space Weather Prediction Center, told the media that the sun is likely to get more active in the next few months and years.

To me this was a wake-up call, Biesecker said. The sun is reminding us that solar max is approaching. A lot worse is in store for us. We hope that you guys are paying attention. I would say we passed with flying colours.

NASA has said that solar radiation storms can't harm humans on Earth but can affect satellite operations and short wave radio propagation.

Watch the display in the video below:

NASA Solar NASA Storm