Major solar flare heading toward Earth

A solar flare is heading toward Earth, NASA says

BOULDER, Colorado (CNN) -- A major solar flare is expected to reach Earth Tuesday and could cause some electric power outages and disruptions of telephone service and satellite TV signals, scientists say.

Nicola Fox of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center said a fast-moving flare exploded from the sun about 5:30 a.m. Monday. The flare sent out a large cloud of solar magnetism, which is expected to reach Earth late Tuesday afternoon or early evening.

Joe Kunches, chief of space weather operations at NOAA's Space Environment Center called it a "fairly significant" magnetic storm. He said power grids, ground to satellite communications and electronic navigation systems could be disrupted.

He said it also could cause the Northern Lights to be visible over large parts of the United States.