Dale Ivan Smith
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daleivan.bsky.social
Dale Ivan Smith
@daleivan.bsky.social
1.7K followers 420 following 1.3K posts
Retired librarian, now "full-time" writer/ reader of fantasy, SF and mystery. TKZ blogger. Author of The Empowered series, Meg Booker librarian mystery series, and various novellas and short stories. Avid stargazer, role-player, board gamer. Fez wearer.
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daleivan.bsky.social
We were socked in here in the PNW--I managed a couple of photos showing a faint red glow beyond the thickening clouds but nothing more. However, the images from elsewhere have been amazing. Here's one from a plane over Boston:
View from a plane over Boston of the striking auroral display on November 11th, 2025. The aurora here is a red curtain above a green glow which in turn is above the city's lights.
November 12, 2025 at 3:05 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
It was cloudy here when the massive solar flare erupted from the AR 4274 sunspot on the Sun this morning, but the skies cleared later. AR 4274 is in the upper right. The first is in white-light, with my Seestar, the second in hydrogen-alpha through a Lunt 40 Ha scope #astronomy #astrophotography
The Sun’s photosphere is riddled with sunspots in this image, with the massive AR 4274 sunspot group in the upper right. The Sun’s chromosphere shows prominences erupting on the limb of the sun, and filaments on the disk itself, looking to my eye like snakes. AR 4274 is visible in the upper right, surrounded by bright “plages,” hotter areas where the magnetic field is weaker. Plages are visible in the lower left-center of the disk and near the “bottom” of the image.
November 11, 2025 at 11:16 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.

(Here's the opening of "Empowered: Agent.")
Opening paragraph of my novel "Empowered: Agent."
November 11, 2025 at 3:53 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
The "struggle" is real ❤️

Sometimes, even getting lap space for a laptop can be a challenge as this 10-year old photo illustrates. That's 40 pounds of feline brothers with no space for said laptop (I also loved it).
Stripped bronze and black tabby with green eyes stares at his human, while his even larger brother stretches out on a leg in the then living room of their chief minion.
November 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Waning gibbous Moon this morning, just after dawn, taken with an iPhone through a Celestron Zoom eyepiece mounted on a 72mm aperture “doublet” refractor telescope #astronomy #astrophotography
Viewed through high haze and turbulent air, the Moon looks a bit muddy, with the terminator on the eastern (right) edge of the lunar limb still bringing out the cratered terrain there into sharp relief.
November 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Comet Lemmon is now visible after sunset now. Three weeks ago I viewed it before dawn, but last night the skies cleared and I viewed it in binoculars and imaged it with both of my Seestars, the S50 and its smaller sibling the S30 #astronomy #astrophotography #comet
Comet Lemmon's tail streams straight up in this image, away from the sun. The dust tail surrounds a distinct slender ion tail. Comet Lemmon's tail streams straight up in this image, away from the sun. The dust tail surrounds a distinct slender ion tail.
October 30, 2025 at 6:52 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
From last Tuesday night: the Owl Cluster, NGC 457, dead center. Another open star cluster, NGC 436, is near the lower right edge. Imaged by my Seestar S30 smart telescope #astronomy #astrophotography
The Owl Cluster (an open star cluster) is in the center of this image, with two prominent members and the outstretched "wings" of stars given the appearance of an owl. It's also known as the E.T. cluster because it resembles the movie character. The Owl cluster is in Cassiopeia and is surrounded by a sea of stars.
October 26, 2025 at 4:56 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
"Why yes, your seat *does* belong to me. Now, more scritchies, please."

#caturday
Black and white cat with pink nose regards me with curious look. Cat is sitting on a red cushioned wooded chair. My jacket is on back.
October 25, 2025 at 2:36 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Clear skies Tuesday night provided an opportunity to image the Bubble Nebula as well as the open star cluster Messier 52 near the bottom of the image with my Seestar S30 #astronomy #astrophotography
The hydrogen emission nebula the Bubble Nebula is in the constellation Cassiopeia, and is near a giant molecular cloud. Well below is Messier 52, aka the Scorpion cluster. M52 was discovered by comet hunter Charles Messier in 1774.
October 24, 2025 at 8:15 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
The Wizard Nebula in the constellation Cepheus yesterday evening, imaged by my Seestar S30. The Wizard is an emission-type nebula surrounding NGC 7380, which was discovered by astronomer Caroline Herschel in 1787 #astrophotography #astronomy
The largely reddish Wizard nebula looks like a stylized wizard with a tall hat filled with stars (which is the open cluster NGC 7380) and an outstretched robed arm casting a spell upwards, all surrounded a rich field of stars.
October 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Good morning Bluesky
A rainbow emerging from a tree into a dark, cloudy sky.
October 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
No Kings Hillsboro, OR. We lined both sides of 10th Street for many blocks. Much support from many drivers and passengers on this busy street (photo taken while lights were red) #Nokings
Broad avenue lined with protesters bearing signs and flags.
October 18, 2025 at 9:17 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
My post today dives into the TKZ archives for writing wisdom from cinema. #writing #writingcommunity

killzoneblog.com/2025/10/movi...
Movie theater in vector graphics. White screen, bordered by red curtains, with a wooden stage and plush red theater seats.
October 18, 2025 at 1:37 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
The Helix Nebula last night in the constellation Sculptor, imaged by my Seestar S30 smart telescope. It’s a new favorite of mine #astronomy #astrophotography
The donut shaped Helix nebula’s ring is copper-white in this image, while the center is bluish green.
October 15, 2025 at 4:13 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
A breezy and beautiful sunny October day here in ”war-ravaged” Portland.
The outstretched branches of a cherry tree on the left, opposite a looming fir, with a huge cedar tree behind and more trees in the distance over a rooftop.
October 14, 2025 at 9:39 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
The rising Harvest super Moon last night, imaged by my Seestar S30, and the setting Harvest super Moon this morning, captured by the larger S50 #astronomy #astrophotography #Moon
The full Moon, showing the dark basalt "seas," bright ray craters, and heavily cratered highlands surround the "seas." The full Moon, showing the dark basalt "seas," bright ray craters, and heavily cratered highlands surround the "seas."
October 7, 2025 at 1:48 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Comet Lemmon early this morning, near the claws of the Great Bear (Ursa Major), in astronomical twilight, imaged by my Seestar S50 #astronomy #astrophotography #comet
Comet Lemmon's nucleus is green-tinged in this image, while the ghostly tail extends above it, surrounded by a field of stars.
October 6, 2025 at 2:33 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
@contrariannews.org Friday greetings from a fellow Contrarian in war-ravaged Portland, OR
Portland street car passing hospital on Lovejoy street, with trees still filled with green leaves. Intersection in NW Portland, with some tree leaves now turning gold. Looking out from the interior of a chill Starbucks coffee shop, with sleek SUV parked outside and brick buildings across the street.
October 3, 2025 at 4:29 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Our beloved Simba at the Vet’s in 2018, wondering how high the door went #cats
Gray and white striped cat in exam room, gazing at top of door.
October 2, 2025 at 2:59 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
It took multiple attempts over several nights, but yesterday I finally got a decent image of Messier 31, the famous Andromeda Galaxy with my little Seestar S30, capturing almost all of the galaxy’s disk #astronomy #astrophotography #galaxies
The Andromeda galaxy was once thought to be a colossal nebula within our own galaxy, but is in actuality a galaxy as large if not larger than our own Milky Way, over two million light years distant. The galaxy’s disk is oval shaped in this view, seemingly in a field of stars from our own galaxy. Of course, those stars are far closer. Also visible are two satellite galaxies, M110 on the left edge of the image and M32, near the upper right of the main galaxy’s disk.
September 28, 2025 at 4:25 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
The Sun this Wednesday afternoon (9-24-25) here in Oregon in hydrogen alpha, showing the chromosphere. The first image is in color, the second with a monochrome filter which I feel brings out more detail. I used a 40mm aperture solar telescope and iPhone 15+ProCam #Sun #astronomy #astrophotography
The Sun's chromosphere, showing bright "plages" as well as long "filaments," which are prominences viewed from above. Along the rim a couple of these prominences can be seen in profile. The Sun's chromosphere, showing bright "plages" as well as long "filaments," which are prominences viewed from above. Along the rim a couple of these prominences can be seen in profile.
September 24, 2025 at 9:37 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Another neighborhood cat demands scritchies: A Story in Four Photos #cats
Orange tabby walking on sunlit side walk casts a long shadow as he approaches. Orange tabby with white feet and blaze on face interrupts sudden bathing to await for pet from hand appearing in upper left. Orange tabby begins to roll onto back as hand approaches to give pets, but owner of said hand will not give belly rubs to unknown kitty who might over react. Scritchies are delivered at last to head of orange kitty, who sits on sidewalk, facing away from camera, the pose of receiving his due.
September 21, 2025 at 2:39 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Stepped outside this morning (9/19/25) to see a celestial spectacular, the waning crescent Moon, Venus, and the star Regulus close together in the sky, in the constellation Leo #Moon #Venus #Stars #astronomy #astrophotography
Above the trees shines the slender crescent of the Moon, with bright Venus and the star Regulus just beyond. Above the trees shines the slender crescent of the Moon, with bright Venus and the star Regulus just beyond.
September 19, 2025 at 2:18 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Two views of the Sun from yesterday. The first, in white light, shows the photosphere, imaged by my Seestar S50. The second, in hydrogen alpha, shows the chromosphere above it, as seen through my Lunt 40 Ha scope and an iPhone 15 Pro w/ProCam app #sun #astronomy #astrophotography
Black sunspots, cooler than the surrounding photosphere, dot the "surface" of the Sun. Magnetic fields are stronger at these points, which suppresses convection and thus making these areas, which are often much larger than Earth, cooler (though still over 6K degrees Fahrenheit). The Sun in hydrogen alpha light, showing bright "plages" as well as filaments snaking across the disk, and erupting prominences along the limb. In fact, filaments *are* prominences, only viewed from above. On the right of the image are a few black spots, which are sunspots.
September 18, 2025 at 1:28 PM
daleivan.bsky.social
Sunset yesterday: the yellow-white disk of the Sun sinking beyond the ocean, a flaming sky, and rays of sunlight streaming from below the horizon #sunset #astronomy
The Sun is yellow-white as it disappears beyond the Pacific Ocean, the sky flaming red-orange above it, while people watch from the shore. The sky is flame colored above the dark blue gray of the Pacific after the sun has set. Ten minutes after sunset the Sun's rays stream from below the horizon, the shoreline now dark.
September 16, 2025 at 2:09 PM