Image: Shimmering skies signal space weather

The Aurora, seen here dancing above Svalbard in Norway, is the most beautiful result of space weather on Earth.

The lights, most commonly found at polar regions, are totally benign, but they signify something serious happening at Earth.

Space weather describes the ever-changing conditions in space, caused by intense radiation and colossal amounts of energetic material that the Sun blasts in every direction.

When solar storms reach Earth, they intefere with our planet's magnetic field, creating geomagnetic storms with the potential to disrupt and even destroy infrastructure in space and on the ground.

This week, space weather is under the lime light as experts from across Europe meet at the European Space Weather Week in Liege, Belgium.