Many such explosions are likely during the next several months - and not very far away, either. Not far, at least, in terms of space: these explosions, called coronal mass ejections, will erupt from the sun, which lies just 93 million miles away, a hop, skip and a jump when it comes to the infinite size of the entire universe.

 Energy from the massive solar blasts covers that distance in a few days and, once it does, illuminates the night skies of Earth with the shimmering red and green Northern Lights, or aurora borealis. With the sun now entering an especially active and explosive period called a solar maximum, scientists expect auroral displays to stretch farther south than usual in coming months, making Montana and northern Wyoming prime viewing stands for the Northern Lights through this summer.

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