The angry Sun: 35 solar flares observed last week; check out this video shared by NASA

The Sun is unleashing more and more flares as it approaches the peak of its natural 11-year cycle. Last week, 35 flares and 47 coronal mass ejections were observed on our life-giving star, according to NASA.

For the unversed, the solar cycle is the cycle that the Sun's magnetic field goes through approximately every 11 years. During this period, the Sun transits from relatively calm to active and stormy. At the peak of this cycle, called solar maximum, the Sun's magnetic poles flip (Sun's north and south poles switch places), resulting in more outbursts including solar flares, geomagnetic storms and coronal mass ejections.

"With more activity comes an increase in space weather events including solar flares and solar eruptions, which can impact radio communications, electric power grids, and navigation signals, as well as pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts," NASA said.

Solar Cycle 25 is currently underway and is expected to peak in July 2025.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory keeps a constant eye on the Sun. The observatory is designed to understand the solar variations that influence life on Earth and humanity's technological systems. Check out this video from SDO shared by the agency on Twitter.

Happy #SunDay! It's been a busy week for space weather. There have been 35 solar flares, 47 coronal mass ejections, and no geomagnetic storms. This video from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows several of these flares and coronal mass ejections shimmering forth from the Sun. pic.twitter.com/GBKwAoisek

— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) December 18, 2022

During the next solar cycle, Solar Cycle 26, NASA's Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC) mission will provide the first coordinated global-scale observations of the ionosphere-thermosphere (I-T) region, where the effects of solar activity are often seen. The I-T system is a region that affects our technological society in many ways, from creating interference in radio signals to generating large electric currents in power distribution systems.

The GDC mission is expected to provide valuable insight that isn't available during this solar maximum.