A huge solar storm is heading for Earth, and it's likely to hit tomorrow.

The storm could knockout satellites, disrupt power supplies and spark stunning displays of the Northern Lights.

It was created last week by an enormous explosion in the sun's atmosphere known as a solar flare, and charged particles from that flare are now on their way to our planet.

The arrival of the solar storm coincides with the formation of 'equinox cracks' in Earth's magnetic field, which form around the equinoxes on March 20 and September 23 each year.

These cracks weaken our planet's natural protection against charged particles and could leave commercial flights and GPS systems exposed to the incoming storm.

The cracks also mean stargazers are more likely to catch glimpses of the Northern lights this week.

This may include parts of Scotland and northern England, as well as the 'northern tier' of the US including parts of Michigan and Maine.

A huge solar storm is heading for Earth, and it's likely to hit tomorrow. It may trigger the Northern Lights in parts of Scotland and northern England. This animation shows the aurora forecast for Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 March (time in GMT is shown top right)