A huge amount of plasma heading towards Earth from the Sun is due to hit the planet by Thursday, writes independent.co.uk.

A coronal mass ejection, which is a release of plasma and magnetic energy from our star, will come from a dying sunspot called AR2987.

Sunspots are cool areas on the Sun’s surface which are caused by the huge power of its magnetic field interfering with the convection process, with AR2987 sending out a C-class solar flare on 11 April.