Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory has filmed a powerful solar storm throwing billions of tonnes of matter towards Earth.

The vast X1.4-class flare was captured by Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory on July 12th.

Footage from the satellite system showed different coloured images, each highlighting a different wavelength of radiation being emitted from one of the strongest storms of the year so far.

The flare headed towards earth at some 850 miles per second.

The sun is currently in an active phase of its 11-year weather cycle, and is due to peak in 2013.