Hi Myles,
Solar storms are ultimately caused by changes in the Sun's complicated magnetic fields. We think they are sort of like a rubber band that gets stretched and twisted. If it can it will snap back into a simpler shape and may go zinging across the room in the process. When that happens on the Sun you can get motion of a huge magnetic cloud across the solar system (we call that a coronal mass ejection or 'CME' for short) and or a disturbance closer to the Sun's surface which releases a lot of X-rays (we call that a flare).

CMEs are a main cause of the aurora (also known as the northern and southern lights). They can also cause problems with spacecraft, communications, and power systems.

You can read more about the effects here:
Storms from the Sun
http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.../cmeposter/html.html
Basic Facts about Space Weather
http://www.windows.ucar.e...her/basic_facts.html
and more about aurora here
http://www.exploratorium....ning_studio/auroras/

Terry


the aurora