Daily Archives: 2025-04-16

Astronomy News

A STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORM IS UNDERWAY

https://spaceweather.com/

A STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORM IS UNDERWAY: A G3-class (Strong) geomagnetic storm is underway on April 16th, with a slight chance of intensifying to category G4 (Severe). This is happening because a CME hit Earth’s magnetic field on April 15th. It may have been a Cannibal CME–a pile-up of two closely-spaced CMEs, in which one overtook the other. Cannibal CMEs contain shock waves and enhanced magnetic fields that do a good job sparking auroras.

“The CME delivered!” reports Sebastian Sainio from Finland. “It sparked a great, although not so long-lasting show on the night between the 15th and 16th of April.”

“The scenic landscape on the island of Raippaluoto in western Finland gave extra vibe to the photos,” he says. “The water was also exceptionally calm that night.”

If today’s storm persists at current levels (a big IF), auroras would appear across Canada and some northern-tier US states during the night of April 16-17. Aurora alerts: SMS Text

more images: from Gregory Ash of Ely, Minnesota; from Kristian Eli Eli Zachariasen of the Faroe Islands; from Thierry Garcia of Fishburn, Durham, England; from Jeff Dykstra of Búðardalur, Iceland

Awards, CSFFA / Aurora Award / Hall of Fame, Reading

2025 AURORA AWARDS BALLOT

2025 AURORA AWARDS BALLOT

This ballot is for works originally done in 2024 by Canadians. The Aurora Awards are nominated by members of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA). The top five nominated works were selected. Additional works were included where there was a tie for fifth place. An online awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 10th, 2025, at 5pm EDT, with hosts Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Elizabeth May Anderson. 

BEST NOVEL
Blackheart Man, Nalo Hopkinson, Saga Press
Pale Grey Dot, Don Miasek, Ravenstone
The Siege of Burning Grass, Premee Mohamed, Solaris
The Tapestry of Time, Kate Heartfield, Harper Voyager
Withered, A.G.A. Wilmot, ECW Press

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
The Door in Lake Mallion, S.M. Beiko, ECW Press
Heavenly Tyrant, Xiran Jay Zhao, Tundra Books
The Lost Expedition: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 3, Douglas Smith, Spiral Path Books
Misadventures in Ghosthunting, Melissa Yue, Harper Collins
Spaced!, C.L. Carey, Renaissance

BEST NOVELETTE/NOVELLA
The Butcher of the Forest, Premee Mohamed, Tordotcom
“Carter’s Refugio“, Hayden Trenholm, Analog SF&F, Sept/Oct
Countess, Suzan Palumbo, ECW Press
The Dragonfly Gambit, A.D. Sui, Neon Hemlock Press
“Zebra Meridian“,Geoffrey W. Cole, Zebra Meridian and Other Stories, Stelliform Press

BEST SHORT STORY
“A World of Milk and Promises“, R H Wesley, Clarkesworld, Issue 216
“And When She Shatters“, Kerry C. Byrne, Heartlines Spec, Issue 4
“Blood and Desert Dreams“, Y.M. Pang, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Issue 408
“BUDDY RAYMOND’S NO-BULLSHIT GUIDE TO DRONE HUNTING“, Gillian Secord, Diabolical Plots, #108A
“Desolation Sounds“, Geoffrey W. Cole, Zebra Meridian and Other Stories, Stelliform Press

BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL/COMIC
Cemetery Kids Don’t Die vol. 1 (#1-4), Zac Thompson, illustrated by Daniel Irrizari, Gegé Schall, and Brittany Peer, Oni Press
Into the Goblin Market, Vikki VanSickle, illustrated by Jensine Eckwall, Tundra Books
It Never Rains, Kari Maaren, webcomic
Star Trek Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way, Ryan North, art by Chris Fenoglio, IDW Publishing
Wheetago War: Roth, Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Christopher Shy, Renegade Arts Entertainment
A Witch’s Guide to Burning, Aminder Dhaliwal, Drawn and Quarterly
Zatanna: Bring Down the House, Mariko Tamaki, DC Comics

BEST POEM/SONG
“Angakkuq“, Shantell Powell, On Spec Magazine, Vol 24, Issue 130
“Cthulhu on the Shores of Osaka“, Y.M. Pang, Invitation: A One-shot Anthology of Speculative Fiction
“Her Favourite“, Beth Cato and Rhonda Parrish, Star*Line, Vol 47, Issue 4
“Horizon Events“, J.D. Dresner, Polar Starlight, Issue #15
“A Thirst for Adventure“, Lynne Sargent, Polar Borealis, Issue #28
“Trip Through the Robot“, Carolyn Clink and David Clink, Giant Robot Poems: On Mecha-Human Science, Culture & War

BEST RELATED WORK
Augur Magazine Vol 7, Issues 7.1-7.3, Kerry C. Byrne, Toria Liao, André Geleynse, Frankie Hagg, and Conyer Clayton, Augur Society
Bury Your Gays: An Anthology of Tragic Queer Horror, Sofia Ajram, Ghoulish Books
Northern Nights, Michael Kelly, Undertow Publications
On Spec Magazine, Vol 34, Issues 127-130, Diane L. Walton Managing Editor, The Copper Pig Writers’ Society
Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume Two, Stephen Kotowych, Ansible Press

BEST COVER ART/INTERIOR ILLUSTRATION
Augur Magazine, Issue 7.1,  cover art, Martine Nguyen
Augur Magazine Issue 7.2, cover art, Frances Philip
Augur Magazine, Issue 7.3, cover art, Lorna Antoniazzi
Captains of Black and Brass, cover art, James Beveridge, On Spec Magazine, Vol 34, Issue 129
Northern Nights, cover art, Serena Malyon, Undertow Publications

BEST FAN WRITING AND PUBLICATION
Clubhouse Canadian Speculative Fiction reviews, R. Graeme Cameron, Amazing Stories Magazine
James Nicoll Reviews, James Davis Nicoll, online
Polar Starlight Magazine, Issues 13-16, Rhea E. Rose, editor
SF&F Book Reviews, Robert Runté, Ottawa Review of Books
Speculating Canada, Derek Newman-Stille

BEST FAN RELATED WORK
murmurstations, Sonia Urlando, Augur Society, podcast
Scintillation 2024, co-chairs, Jo Walton and René Walling, Montreal
Two Old Farts Talk Sci-Fi Podcast, Troy Harkin and David Clink
Wizards & Spaceships Podcast, Rachel A. Rosen and David L. Clink
The Worldshapers Podcast, Edward Willett

 

Ver 1.0, April 15, 2024