NASA captured an intense solar flare on video, so powerful that it could cause power outages and disrupt GPS signals.

According to the Telegraph, Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured the solar flare on December 19. The flare was classified as an X1.8-class flare - X-class stands for the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times.

The solar flare erupted in Active Region2242, an extremely active area of the sun, Science Times reports.

The flare was so powerful, that it could have caused power outages on Earth, as well as disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel, such as satellites.

Specialists say that given the activity in the area more sun storms like this are likely to happen, though probably not as intense.

Watch the video below!

Science Times explains that a solar flare is a large energy release that can be equivalent to 160 trillion megatons of TNT (in comparison, the Hiroshima bomb was approximately three megatons). They're triggered by intense activity in magnetic fields in sun spots.

Solar flares can be enjoyed safely at night but are hard to predict. It has to be a mixture of luck and research!