These Solar flares are also the cause behind the beautiful northern lights (aurora).

Solar Flare

Solar Flares (large bursts of gas from the sun) happen all the time.  Approximately every 11 years or so, the sun seems to have an extra large burst of activity.  2012 was thought to be the end of the next 11 cycle where sun spots would start to appear as the tell tale sign of extra solar activity - i.e. solar flares (which stay close to the surface of the sun) and Coronal Mass Ejections (which can travel millions of miles out into space).  However, NASA scientists have said recently that it looks like the next cycle will come around in 2013 and not 2012.