WATCH: The Sun's magnetic field is about to flip - here's how it could affect Earth

Did you know that the Sun has a magnetic field just as Earth does? And, every 11 years its polarity changes direction.

This is known as a 'flip' - marking the point at which the Sun is halfway through its activity peak or 'solar maximum'. During this time there is an increase in the number of eruptions from the Sun, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

These eruptions send powerful bursts of energy and material into space which can disrupt radio communications and GPS signals, as well as cause geomagnetic storms.

The visible effects here on Earth, are the intense aurora or 'Northern Lights' we sometimes see. With activity on the Sun nearing its peak, there should be more opportunities to catch the aurora throughout 2025. You can keep an eye on sunrise and sunset times on your local forecast page.