NASA's 4K video of a solar flare is utterly hypnotising

The Sun is terrifying.

No, not the paper (we've far less flattering adjectives for that publication) - the giant ball of fusion energy that our planet is floating around. Sure, it's 149.6 million kilometres away, but even the slightest hiccup from this great blazing ball can play havoc with humanity.

Take the following solar flare, captured in stunning 4K video by NASA's plucky little Solar Dynamics Observatory: a satellite that keeps a watchful eye on the Sun to help scientists understand its smouldering secrets.

This recently-released footage shows a mid-level solar kicking off in some style on 17 April. While the radiation from the flare didn't impact the Earth's surface, it was potent enough to cause brief radio blackouts for GPS and coms satellites.

Hypnotising, fascinating, and more than a little scary.