RHINELANDER - It provides power to our planet and we can't live without it - but the sun can also be destructive.

A large solar flare recently erupted off the surface of the sun. The faster-moving particles of the flare affected communication systems yesterday afternoon, blacking out CB-Radios and GPS systems for about an hour.

With the disruption might come some decoration in the night skies this weekend. Astronomer Frank Kovac says the actual wave of particles from the sun will be hitting the earth over the next day or so.

"Light takes about eight minutes, but the particles themselves take about a day moving at millions of miles per hour," Kovac said. "And then when those magnetic solar particles reach earth's magnetic field, they funnel down into the northern and southern hemisphere where they result in the aurora, what we call the northern lights."

Weather permitting, they are forecasted to be seen from the Northwoods over the next couple nights.

Kovak says to look toward the north after 11pm.