AN X-CLASS DOUBLE SOLAR FLARE: Solar activity remains high with an X-class double solar flare on Oct. 26th. The explosion hurled an impressive CME into space, and it appears to have an Earth-directed component. Several big sunspots are turning toward Earth, so this could be the beginning of a week of stormy space weather. Full story @ Spaceweather.com.
Solar flare alerts: Sign up for Space Weather Alerts to receive instant text messages when strong solar flares are underway.
Click the picture to view the flare in action.
An M9.5-X1.8 class double flare on Oct. 26th. Extreme ultraviolet movie from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.
BIG SUNSPOTS AND AN X-FLARE: A big group of new sunspots exploded this morning, producing an X3.3-class solar flare and an impressive CME. The CME will graze Earth on Oct. 26th, possibly causing a geomagnetic storm. More flares are in the offing as the sunspot group turns toward Earth. Full story @ Spaceweather.com.
A phalanx of active sunspots is turning toward Earth.
Solar flare alerts: Sign up for Space Weather Alerts to receive instant text messages when strong solar flares are underway.
Since I am pretty sure we do not have millionaires in our group, I thought that, nevertheless, it might amuse some. 🙂
Star Trek Auction “Bid Long and Prosper” Presented by Julien’s Auctions at Infinity Festival
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Oct. 22, 2024 /CNW/ — Julien’s Auctions and Infinity Festival are partnering to present “Bid Long and Prosper,” an exclusive exhibition and auction featuring over 200 rare Star Trek items.
The auction will take place on November 9th at The Aster in Los Angeles, with a special preview exhibition at Infinity Festival from November 7th & 8th.
William Shatner, the iconic Captain Kirk, as he reconnects with Star Trek history. For the first time in over sixty years, Shatner holds the original series Communicator and Phaser. These are 2 featured lots in our upcoming “Bid Long & Prosper” Auction. Register & Bid Now https://www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/star-trek-526
This landmark auction boasts an impressive collection of original props and costumes from the Star Trek universe, including:
William Shatner’s “Captain James T. Kirk” phaser and communicator from the original series (each estimated at $100,000–$200,000)
The USS Enterprise helm and navigation console ($50,000–$70,000)
Shatner’s iconic yellow tunic and Starfleet trousers ($65,000–$85,000)
DeForest Kelley’s “Dr. Leonard McCoy” space suit ($40,000–$60,000)
James Doohan’s “Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott” red tunic ($25,000–$30,000)
A Deep Space Nine space station miniature ($50,000–$70,000)
Leonard Nimoy’s “Spock” robe and headband from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ($10,000–$15,000)
Infinity Festival attendees will have exclusive access to the exhibition and auction, celebrating Star Trek’s enduring impact on technology and storytelling. A special screening of a never-before-seen Dolby Cinema director’s cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture will follow the auction, along with a fireside chat with the film’s producer, David Fein.
“This partnership with Julien’s Auctions brings the spirit of Star Trek to life,” says Adam Newman, Chief Creative Officer of Infinity Festival. “It’s a chance for fans and technologists to celebrate the innovation and wonder that has defined the franchise for decades.”
Julien’s Auctions will also collaborate with Wonder.pro to create AI-generated videos showcasing the auction items, including versions in Klingon.
Infinity Festival takes place November 6-9, 2024 at The Aster in Hollywood. For tickets and information about the “Bid Long and Prosper” auction, visit https://infinityfestival.com/.
Check out our exclusive video of William Shatner discussing the phaser and communicator, his Star Trek career, and his experience looking down at Earth during his October 2021 Blue Origin space flight. He also discusses the importance of Star Trek in today’s world and what it means to him to be a part of the franchise.
X7-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: An Earth-facing sunspot exploded on Oct 1st (2220 UT), producing the second-strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25. The X7.1-category blast caused a shortwave radio blackout over Hawaii and hurled a CME into space. The CME could reach Earth and cause geomagnetic storms later this week. Updates @ Spaceweather.com.
CME impact alerts: Sign up for Space Weather Alerts to receive instant text messages when CMEs hit Earth’s magnetic field.
Above: The extreme ultraviolet flash from yesterday’s X7.1-class solar flare. Credit: NASA/SDO
2 … Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold … Review by JE Tabor
4 … Bloodsworn by Tej Turner … Review by Chris Nuttall
5 … The Book of Feasts and Seasons by John C. Wright Review by Christopher R. DiNote
10 … Christmas In the Stars by Sarah A. Hoyt … Review by Pat Patterson
11 … Dark Day, Bright Hour by Julie Frost … Review by Declan Finn
13 … Dragonheart by Charles Edward Pogue … Review by Caroline Furlong
15 … Flame by Katie Cross … Review by JR Handley
20 … The Golden Key and Other Fairy Tales by George MacDonald
… Review by Christopher R. DiNote
23 … The Lost Fleet Series by Jack Campbell … Review by JR Handley
28 … Odd Magics: Tales for the Lost by Sarah A. Hoyt … Review by Becky Jones
29 … Or All Will Burn Anthology Introduction by Kacey Ezell … Review by Pat Patterson
30 … Pack Dynamics by Julie Frost … Review by Vanessa Landry
32 … Phantom Orbit by David Ignatius … Review by Jason P. Hunt
33 … Queen of the Martian Catacombs by Leigh Brackett … Review by Caroline Furlong
35 … Running Into Time by Cedar Sanderson … Review by Pat Patterson
36 … Savage Wars by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole … Review by Jim McCoy
38 … Scattered, Smothered and Spellbound: They Call Me Tully by Kelly Grayson
… Review by Pat Patterson
38 … Shadowfire by Dean Koontz … Review by Tom Feller
39 … The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix … Review by Tom Feller
39 … Splashdown by Blaine Pardoe … Review by Declan Finn
42 … Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron by Michael A. Stackpole … Review by Caroline Furlong
44 … The Third Circle by Amanda Quick … Review by Tom Feller
45 … Titan Mage by Edie Skye … Review by JR Handley
48 … To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose … Review by Tom Feller
49 … Unraveller by Francis Hardinge … by Tom Feller
50 … Uplink Squadron by J.N. Chaney and Chris Kennedy … Review by Pat Patterson
51 … White Ops by Declan Finn … Review by JE Tabor
I’m thrilled to announce the release of my and my son Nathaniel’s Sci-Fi novel
“Tragedy of a Shapeshifter” (Available on Amazon).
This book has been in the works for several years and is the by-product of a script for a TV series that we worked on together.
As a bonus, Nathaniel composed original music for several of his songs in the book,
and in honour of the book’s release, uploaded a clip of his song “Still Me” to YouTube.
By 2030 the number of satellites in orbit is expected to surpass 100,000.
Getty Images: The passage of SpaceX Starlink satellites is observed in the skies of Sanliurfa, Turkiy
Radio waves from Elon Musk’s growing network of satellites are blocking scientists’ ability to peer into the universe, according to researchers in the Netherlands.
The new generation of Starlink satellites, which provide fast internet around the world, are interfering more with radio telescopes than earlier versions, they say.
The thousands of orbiting satellites are “blinding” radio telescopes and may be hindering astronomical research, according to Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON).
SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has not replied to a request from BBC News for comment.
The satellites provide broadband internet around the world, often to remote places, including challenging environments like Ukraine and Yemen.
They are also used to connect remote areas of the UK to fast internet. In 2022 tests showed that Starlink could deliver internet speeds four times faster than the average, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
But astronomers say this comes at a cost.
“Every time more of these are launched with these kinds of emission levels, we see less and less of the sky,” Professor Jessica Dempsey, director of ASTRON, told BBC News.
“We’re trying to look at things like the jets, which are emitted from black holes in the centre of galaxies. We also look at some of the earliest galaxies, millions and millions of light years away, as well as exoplanets,” she said, highlighting the areas the satellite radiation is affecting.
Interference from the second generation, or V2, satellites was found by ASTRON to be 32 times stronger than the first generation.
Space may be the final frontier, but we can’t go far on rocket fuel. Now, two scientists are working on a device that may one day make the “impulse engine” from Star Trek real.
A Tolkien trail: Where to find the real-life Middle-earth
From the BBC
Daniel Stables
Find the article, with gorgeous photographs, here.
Getty Images
While Tolkien’s stories take place in the fictional realm of Middle-earth, the awe-inspiring landscapes of the books, films and TV shows are closer than you might imagine.
The first book in J R R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, was released 70 years ago, in the summer of 1954. However, that’s not the only recent milestone for Tolkien’s legendarium: the second season of the epic TV series, The Rings of Power, was released on 29 August 2024.
As befits the ultimate epic fantasy series, the settings are gorgeous, ranging from bucolic, rolling countryside to plunging valleys and desolate deserts. And while Tolkien’s stories take place in the fictional realm of Middle-earth, the awe-inspiring landscapes of the books, films and TV shows are not as otherworldly as you might imagine. Many of them are based on real-world locations and visiting them brings to life both the landscapes themselves and the imaginary worlds they inspired Tolkien to create.
The Tolkien Trail: Lancashire, England
While writing The Lord of the Rings in the 1940s, Tolkien lived for a while at Stonyhurst College, a prestigious boarding school in Lancashire where his son was a teacher. The elder Tolkien was known to walk often through the woodlands and rolling hills of the surrounding Ribble Valley, and is thought to have taken inspiration from the place while creating the Shire, the rural homeland of the hobbits.
The seven-mile Tolkien Trail reveals how the writer was inspired by Lancashire’s beautiful landscapes (Credit: Daniel Stables)
Today, fans can explore the area on the Tolkien Trail, which opened in 2002 and takes hikers through the very landscapes that inspired the author. The route starts in the village of Hurst Green at the atmospheric 17th-Century Shireburn Arms pub, where Tolkien was a regular. It then winds for around seven easy miles through undulating farmland, past the grand buildings of Stonyhurst College, and across historic landmarks like Cromwell’s Bridge, an overgrown packhorse bridge once used by Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War.
