NASA's solar orbiter captured an enormous eruption from the sun today, Space.com reports.

The "beautiful prominence eruption" occurred at 1:45 p.m. ET and was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Although visually spectacular, the resulting solar flare registered only in the middle of the intensity scale (M1.7 class).

No danger to Earth, however. The burst of super-hot plasma, called a coronal mass ejection, went in another direction. But the sun is in an active stage of its 11-year cycle, which is expected to peak next year.

NASA has posted some very cool video of the blast.

Radiation from the biggest solar storm since 2005 pounded Earth in February and March.

STORY: Solar storm not as strong as experts feared

Powerful flares can disrupt communications and pose a danger to astronauts in the International Space Station.