The sun is in a spirited mood as it kicks out a glowing series of solar flares, including a fresh X9 that's the most intense we've seen in years.

Solar flares are a fascinating thing and have a profound effect on what astronomers refer to as "space weather." These events vary with the sun's 11-year solar cycle, releasing immense amounts of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum (from extreme ultraviolet to X-rays) into space.

Could a powerful solar flare wipe out life on Earth? Thursday’s flare was much smaller, reaching only X9 strength. It was, however, the strongest this year, beating out an X7.1 flare that erupted earlier this week and an X8.