All posts by Cathy Palmer-Lister

Books

Locus List of Forthcoming Books

AUGUST 2025

  • CHARLIE JANE ANDERS • Lessons in Magic and Disaster • Tor, Aug 2025 (hc, eb)
  • NATHAN BALLINGRUD • Cathedral of the Drowned • Titan Books UK, Aug 2025 (na, h, hc, eb)
  • NATHAN BALLINGRUD • Cathedral of the Drowned • Tor/Nightfire, Aug 2025 (na, h, tp, eb)
  • ISABEL CAÑAS • The Possession of Alba Díaz • Penguin Random House/Berkley, Aug 2025 (h, hc, eb)
  • BRENDA COOPER • When Mothers Dream • Fairwood Press, Aug 2025 (c, tp)
  • JOSHUA GLENN, ED. • Before Superman: Superhu­mans of the Radium Age • MIT Press, Aug 2025 (an, tp, eb)
  • CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN & BRI­AN KEENE, EDS. • The End of the World As We Know It: Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand • Simon & Schuster/Gallery, Aug 2025 (oa, hc, eb)
  • FRANCES HARDINGE • The Forest of a Thousand Eyes • Abrams/Amulet, Aug 2025 (1st US, na, ya, hc, eb)
  • T. KINGFISHER • Hemlock & Silver • Tor/Bramble, Aug 2025 (hc, eb)
  • R.F. KUANG • Katabasis • Harper Voyager US, Aug 2025 (hc, eb)
  • R.F. KUANG • Katabasis • Harper Voyager UK, Aug 2025 (hc, eb)
  • TIM LEBBON • Secret Lives of the Dead • Titan Books UK, Aug 2025 (h, pb, eb)
  • YOON HA LEE • Starstrike • Penguin Random House/Delacorte, Aug 2025 (ya, hc, eb)
  • TASHAN MEHTA • Mad Sisters of Esi • Astra House/DAW, Aug 2025 (1st US, tp, eb)
  • L.E. MODESITT, JR. • Sub-Majer’s Challenge • Tor, Aug 2025 (hc, eb)
  • ANNALEE NEWITZ • Automatic Noodle • Tor, Aug 2025 (na, hc, eb)
  • ALASTAIR REYNOLDS • The Dagger in Vichy • Subterra­nean Press, Aug 2025 (na, hc, eb)
  • KEN SCHOLES • Better Dreams • Fallen Seeds and Other Handfuls of Hope, Fairwood Press, Aug 2025 (c, tp, tp)
  • FRAN WILDE • A Catalog of Storms • Fairwood Press, Aug 2025 (c, tp, eb)
Astronomy News

EQUATORIAL PLASMA BUBBLES DISRUPT GPS

Space Weather News for July 24, 2025
https://spaceweather.com
https://www.spaceweatheralerts.com

EQUATORIAL PLASMA BUBBLES ARE COMING FOR YOUR GPS: Earth’s ionosphere is a bit like Swiss cheese. It contains holes called “equatorial plasma bubbles.” If any of these bubbles drift across your sky–grip the steering wheel–your GPS might go haywire.

That’s exactly what happened during a geomagnetic storm in March 2023. A new study published in the research journal Space Weather recounts how  GPS radio signals began to rapidly flicker, akin to the twinkling of a star, causing positioning errors across a wide swath of the Americas.


GPS satellites transmitting through a bubbly ionosphere. Inset: a simulation of equatorial plasma bubbles. Video.

“This is the most intense event we have analyzed,” says Fabiano Rodrigues, a physics professor at the University of Texas at Dallas and one of the paper’s lead authors. “It produced extremely intense disruptions at low latitudes for more than 10 hours and was even detectable by our mid-latitude sensor in Dallas (UTD in the diagram below), which is unusual.”

Completely surrounding Earth, the ionosphere is a shell of ionized gas created by the sun. Solar ultraviolet radiation ionizes air near the edge of space, creating a dynamic layer of plasma that varies with solar activity, time of day, and latitude. The ionosphere plays a critical role in GPS systems by reflecting or distorting radio waves passing through it.

When the sun sets, the ionosphere becomes unstable. This happens because the sun’s ionizing radiation suddenly disappears. A Rayleigh-Taylor instability takes hold, and bubbles of low-density plasma begin to rise, much like blobs in a lava lamp.

These structures are especially common near the magnetic equator, where electric and magnetic fields enhance the effect. That’s why they’re called equatorial plasma bubbles.

The March 23-24, 2023, event was remarkable because the bubbles were so widespread. They are normally confined within +/- 20  degrees of the magnetic equator, but during this storm, they spread at least twice as far, affecting population centers at middle latitudes. Peak position errors were wider than urban roadways.

READ MORE

MonSFFA special event

ATTENTION: Club’s Barbecue-in-the-Park Postponed Until Next Sunday, July 20!

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

MonSFFA’s 2025 Barbecue-in-the-Park Postponed Until Sunday, July 20, 10:30AM-4:00PM

Please take note: due to forecast thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon, MonSFFA’s 2025 Barbecue-in-the-Park has been postponed until our advertised rain date of next Sunday, July 20! MonSFFen and their families, as well as friends of the club, are invited to gather at about 10:30AM in Parc Maisonneuve on that revised date to enjoy a day of fresh air, sunshine (sans rain, we hope!), and fun with friends!

Sprawling Parc Maisonneuve, easily accessible by Metro (Viau, Pie-IX) or bus, is located in the city’s East End, adjacent the Botanical Gardens and the Olympic Stadium. Parking is available on site, or on nearby streets.

Our intention is to claim a picnic spot along one of the park’s lines of trees, not too far from the Chalet (washrooms) and parking lot; our “Preferred Picnic Area” is indicated on the map (below). Look for us within roughly that area.

Bring your own refreshments, snacks, and any meats you may wish to barbecue; MonSFFA will provide a grill. Should inclement weather again scuttle our plans, the event will be cancelled outright for 2025.

We look forward to seeing you all next Sunday!

Awards, CSFFA / Aurora Award / Hall of Fame

Reminder to vote for the Auroras before July 19

Reminder to vote for the Auroras before July 19

CSFFA members have until 11:59pm EDT on July 19th, 2024, to submit their ballot for the Aurora Awards.

(To become a member: https://www.csffa.ca/become-a-member/)

Voters’ Package: CSFFA members can download our voters’ package when you log into your account.  It’s there to help you make informed decisions when you vote. The voters’ package is only available until July 12th (one week before the voting deadline) so download what you plan to vote for now.

 

Books

Locus List of Forthcoming Books

JULY 2025

  • JULIE E. CZERNEDA • A Shift of Time • Astra House/DAW, Jul 2025 (tp, eb)
  • SARAH BETH DURST • The Enchanted Greenhouse • Tor/Bramble, Jul 2025 (v, hc, eb)
  • CHARLAINE HARRIS • The Last Wizards’ Ball • Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, Jul 2025 (hc, eb)
  • STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES • The Babysitter Lives • Titan Books UK, Jul 2025 (na, h, tp, eb)
  • STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES • Killer on the Road / The Baby­sitter Lives • Simon & Schuster/Saga Press, Jul 2025 (oc, h, tp, eb)
  • CASSANDRA KHAW • The Library at Hellebore • Tor/Nightfire, Jul 2025 (h, hc, eb)
  • CAITLÍN R. KIERNAN • Bright Dead Star • Subterranean Press, Jul 2025 (c, hc, eb)
  • MUR LAFFERTY • Infinite Archive • Ace, Jul 2025 (tp, eb)
  • SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA • The Bewitching • Penguin Ran­dom House/Del Rey, Jul 2025 (h, hc, eb)
  • ADAM ROBERTS • Frankenstein Rex • Orion UK/Gollancz, Jul 2025 (hc, eb)
  • CHUCK TINGLE • Lucky Day • Tor/Nightfire, Jul 2025 (h, hc, eb)
  • HARRY TURTLEDOVE • Powerless • Arc Manor/Caezik SF & Fantasy, Jul 2025 (hc, eb)
  • MOSES OSE UTOMI • The Memory of the Ogisi • Tordot­com, Jul 2025 (hc)
Astronomy News

RARE DOUBLE NAKED-EYE NOVA EVENT

Space Weather News for June 30, 2025
https://spaceweather.com
https://www.spaceweatheralerts.com

RARE DOUBLE NAKED-EYE NOVA EVENT: An extremely rare event is underway in the southern hemisphere. Two stars have exploded at the same time, producing simultaneous naked-eye novas (V462 Lupi and V572 Velorum). Full story @ Spaceweather.com.


Above: Eliot Herman photographed V572 Velorum on June 28th using a robotic telescope in Chile.

Fanzines

Fanzine roundup

We have received quite a few fanzines to share. Enjoy!

FanAct202506 from the N3F (USA)

ObdurateEye52 from Garth Spencer (Canada)

CCJune2025-v01 From Leybl Botwinik (Israel)

De Profundis #610 – July 2025 From LASFS (USA)

PROBE 204X From SFFSA (South Africa) Fabulous cover, and a mention of MonSFFA.

N3FReview202506 from the N3F (USA)

TH 88r From Nic Farey (USA) “Do you love me enough that I may be weak with you? Everyone loves strength, but do you love me for my weakness? That is the real test.”

PurrMew94 from R-Laurraine Tutihasi (USA) Photos of critters we never see in our region, and her husband takes wonderful astrophotos.

AGentle1 From the N3F, a role playing APA

Now at https://efanzines.com are:

  • J.L. Farey’s JenZine #12
  • Alexiad #136 edited by Lisa & Joseph Major
  • Christopher J. Garcia’s Claims Department #86
  • Nic Farey’s This Here…#87
  • Andy Hooper’s CAPTAIN FLASHBACK #78
  • Opuntia #600, edited by Dale Speirs
  • Michael Dobson’s Again, Random Jottings #22
  • Two Chairs in Print #5 by Perry Middlemiss and David Grigg
  • Perry Middlemiss’s Perryscope #54
  • Rich Lynch’s My Back Pages #32
  • Bruce Gillespie’s SF Commentary #120
  • Garth Spencer’s The Obdurate Eye #52
  • Henry Grynnsten’s Wild Ideas #60
  • Heath Row’s The Stf Amateur, June 2025 (apazine bundle)
  • Octothorpe #136, a regular fannish podcast by John Coxon, Alison Scott and Liz Batty, is now on line
  • SideTrekked #67 & 68 the clubzine of Science Fiction London (Ontario)
  • New page for TurboCon 2, a mildly fanzine-related precursor convention the three days before the Seattle Worldcon, August 10th to 12th this year.
  • New page for Kelly Oates’ Oates #1 and #2
  • Leigh Edmonds’ Ornithopter Mk.Vc
  • Octothorpe #137, a regular fannish podcast by John Coxon, Alison Scott and Liz Batty, is now on line
  • Andy Hooper’s CAPTAIN FLASHBACK #79
  • Opuntia #601, edited by Dale Speirs
  • Ray Palm’s The Ray X X-rayer #184
Astronomy News

First celestial image unveiled from revolutionary telescope

Here’s finally some good news! Astronomers and sky enthusiasts have been waiting a long time for the Vera Rubin to come on line. The resolution of this camera is such that it can see a golf ball on the moon!  — CPL

First celestial image unveiled from revolutionary telescope

Ione Wells, South America correspondent
Georgina Rannard, Science correspondent

NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory The first image revealed by the Vera Rubin telescope shows the Trifid and Lagoon nebulae in stunning detail

A powerful new telescope in Chile has released its first images, showing off its unprecedented ability to peer into the dark depths of the universe.

In one picture, vast colourful gas and dust clouds swirl in a star-forming region 9,000 light years from Earth.

The Vera C Rubin observatory, home to the world’s most powerful digital camera, promises to transform our understanding of the universe.

If a ninth planet exists in our solar system, scientists say this telescope would find it in its first year.
RubinObs Three large white buildings stand on top of a dry mountain in a desert. One has a domed roof. In the background the sky is blue and looks dry. A yellow crane is in front of the three white buildings which are the Vera Rubin observatory. A dusty road leads up to the buildings.RubinObs
Rubin Observatory and the Rubin Auxiliary Telescope in Cerro Pachón in Chile

It should detect killer asteroids in striking distance of Earth and map the Milky Way. It will also answer crucial questions about dark matter, the mysterious substance that makes up most of our universe.

In a press conference on Monday, the observatory revealed that in 10 hours, the telescope detected 2,104 new asteroids and 7 space objects close to Earth.

All other space and ground surveys combined usually find about 20,000 asteroids in a year.

This once-in-a-generation moment for astronomy is the start of a continuous 10-year filming of the southern night sky.

READ MORE

Space Travel / Exploration, Tributes

Marc Garneau has passed away

Marc Garneau has passed away, aged 76. He was Canada’s first astronaut. I had the pleasure of meeting him twice, first at the Canadian Space Agency in St Hubert, and again at an Earth Day celebration in Westmount. Tributes are pouring in. I heard Andrew Fazekas, the Night Sky Guy, this morning on CBC radio speak of how inspired he was by Marc.

Read about Marc Garneau here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/marc-garneau-passes-away-1.7552640

 

Books

Locus List of Forthcoming Books

JUNE 2025

  • ELIZABETH BEAR • The Folded Sky • Simon & Schus­ter/Saga Press, Jun 2025 (tp, eb)
  • ELIZABETH BEAR • The Folded Sky • Orion UK/Gollancz, Jun 2025 (tp, eb)
  • V. CASTRO • Maria the Wanted • Titan Books UK, Jun 2025 (h, tp, eb)
  • KATE ELLIOTT • The Witch Roads • Tor, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • AUSTON HABERSHAW • If Wishes Were Retail • Tachyon Publications, Jun 2025 (tp, eb)
  • K. IBURA • Tempest • HarperCollins/Quill Tree, Jun 2025 (ya, hc, eb)
  • ALLAN KASTER, ED. • The Year’s Top Hard Science Fiction Stories 9 • AudioText/Infinivox, Jun 2025 (an, tp, eb)
  • MERCEDES LACKEY & LARRY DIXON • Gryphon’s Valor • Titan Books UK, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • MERCEDES LACKEY & LARRY DIXON • Gryphon’s Valor • Astra House/DAW, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • JOHN LANGAN • Lost in the Dark and Other Ex­cursions • Word Horde, Jun 2025 (c, tp, eb)
  • HELEN MARSHALL • The Lady • the Tiger, and the Girl Who Loved Death, Titan Books UK, Jun 2025 (pb, eb)
  • PREMEE MOHAMED • The First Thousand Trees • ECW Press, Jun 2025 (na, tp, eb)
  • MALKA OLDER • The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses • Tor, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • H.G. PARRY • A Far Better Thing • Tor, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • V.E. SCHWAB • Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil • Tor, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • V.E. SCHWAB • Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil • Macmillan/Tor UK, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY • Bee Speaker • Bloomsbury UK/Head of Zeus/Ad Astra, Jun 2025 (hc, eb)
  • ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY • Shroud • Orbit US, Jun 2025 (1st US, tp, eb)
  • CONNIE WILLIS • The Spanner in the Works • Orion UK/Gollancz, Jun 2025 (tp, eb)
  • JOHN WISWELL • Wearing the Lion • Astra House/DAW, Jun 2025 (v, hc, eb)