Jeff MacGregor
@macgsmithsonianmag.bsky.social
Writer-at-Large / Smithsonian Magazine
Tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited.
Tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited.
Pinned
Explore the World of Willa Cather in Her Nebraska Hometown
Maybe the author of “O Pioneers!” is no longer the height of literary chic. But a century later she’s still a superstar in her small prairie community
www.smithsonianmag.com
If you're unfamiliar with my work, this piece on Nebraska and Willa Cather from last summer is a fair representation. www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/in-se...
Roz Chast in the New Yorker.
December 10, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Roz Chast in the New Yorker.
good morning, my friends.
December 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
good morning, my friends.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
mood (from my most recent poem)
December 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
mood (from my most recent poem)
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
A lot of truth to be found in John Gardner’s “On Becoming A Novelist”
December 8, 2025 at 10:12 PM
A lot of truth to be found in John Gardner’s “On Becoming A Novelist”
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Here's a movie from Dec 9 0-2 UT showing two eruptive flares - an M2.0 from AR 4299 and an M1.2 from AR 4294. Unsure whether we will see much of these in coronagraph imagery. The M2.0 CME may have a slight Earth-directed component.
December 9, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Here's a movie from Dec 9 0-2 UT showing two eruptive flares - an M2.0 from AR 4299 and an M1.2 from AR 4294. Unsure whether we will see much of these in coronagraph imagery. The M2.0 CME may have a slight Earth-directed component.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
John Noble Wilford, science writing legend, dies at 92. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/s...
John Noble Wilford, Times Reporter Who Covered the Moon Landing, Dies at 92
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:18 AM
John Noble Wilford, science writing legend, dies at 92. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/s...
Good morning, my friends.
December 9, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Good morning, my friends.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Good morning, my friends.
December 8, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Good morning, my friends.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
It's spelled 'whoa'.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
December 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
It's spelled 'whoa'.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
There are FOUR CMEs that could impact Earth in the next few days!
M1.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 8 UT (grazing impact)
M8.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-09 5 UT (direct hit)
M2.4 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 13 UT (direct hit)
X1.1 from AR 4298: Dec 11 at 10 UT (grazing impact)
M1.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 8 UT (grazing impact)
M8.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-09 5 UT (direct hit)
M2.4 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 13 UT (direct hit)
X1.1 from AR 4298: Dec 11 at 10 UT (grazing impact)
December 8, 2025 at 6:06 PM
There are FOUR CMEs that could impact Earth in the next few days!
M1.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 8 UT (grazing impact)
M8.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-09 5 UT (direct hit)
M2.4 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 13 UT (direct hit)
X1.1 from AR 4298: Dec 11 at 10 UT (grazing impact)
M1.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 8 UT (grazing impact)
M8.1 from AR 4299: 2025-12-09 5 UT (direct hit)
M2.4 from AR 4299: 2025-12-10 13 UT (direct hit)
X1.1 from AR 4298: Dec 11 at 10 UT (grazing impact)
It's spelled 'whoa'.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
December 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
It's spelled 'whoa'.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
It's spelled 'oops'.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Space Weather Enthusiasts Dashboard | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center
www.swpc.noaa.gov
December 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Good morning, my friends.
December 8, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Good morning, my friends.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
M2.4 solar flare in combination with a small but very dense erupting filament associated with sunspot group 4299 near the central meridian. Coronal mass ejection likely (even though a lot of material was reabsorbed).
December 8, 2025 at 1:47 AM
M2.4 solar flare in combination with a small but very dense erupting filament associated with sunspot group 4299 near the central meridian. Coronal mass ejection likely (even though a lot of material was reabsorbed).
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Absolutely buzzing over this new video of a rarely seen giant squid
December 7, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Absolutely buzzing over this new video of a rarely seen giant squid
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Direct hit! Here is a preliminary WSA ENLIL+Cone model of the M8.1 CME from NASA M2M. Earth shock arrival time is calculated to be Dec 9, 4 UT +/- 7 hr (Monday night).
G2-G3 conditions may be possible, but we'll see what the official forecast from NOAA SWPC is. Stay tuned...
G2-G3 conditions may be possible, but we'll see what the official forecast from NOAA SWPC is. Stay tuned...
December 6, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Direct hit! Here is a preliminary WSA ENLIL+Cone model of the M8.1 CME from NASA M2M. Earth shock arrival time is calculated to be Dec 9, 4 UT +/- 7 hr (Monday night).
G2-G3 conditions may be possible, but we'll see what the official forecast from NOAA SWPC is. Stay tuned...
G2-G3 conditions may be possible, but we'll see what the official forecast from NOAA SWPC is. Stay tuned...
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
The spectacular fireworks of two eruptive M-class flares from AR 4299 today. First, an M1.1 around 1921 UT followed by an M8.1 around 2039 UT. Both flares were near the center of the Earth-facing disk and eruptive. The M8.1 CME looks the most Earth-directed.
December 6, 2025 at 10:33 PM
The spectacular fireworks of two eruptive M-class flares from AR 4299 today. First, an M1.1 around 1921 UT followed by an M8.1 around 2039 UT. Both flares were near the center of the Earth-facing disk and eruptive. The M8.1 CME looks the most Earth-directed.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
EARTH-DIRECTED SOLAR FLARE AND CME: Both NOAA and SOHO coronagraphs have detected a full halo storm cloud heading directly for Earth. NASA simulations of the CME suggest an arrival on Dec. 9th. Earth is the yellow dot in this forecast model spaceweather.com/images2025/0...
December 7, 2025 at 9:12 AM
EARTH-DIRECTED SOLAR FLARE AND CME: Both NOAA and SOHO coronagraphs have detected a full halo storm cloud heading directly for Earth. NASA simulations of the CME suggest an arrival on Dec. 9th. Earth is the yellow dot in this forecast model spaceweather.com/images2025/0...
good morning
December 7, 2025 at 11:19 AM
good morning
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Jonathan Lethem has given a self-portrait he painted in 1978, when he was fourteen, to a friend who is selling it (with Jonathan’s blessing) to pay for medical expenses.
Jonathan Lethem Self Portrait Oil On Wood 30”X 28” | eBay
This is one of three original oil paintings by author Jonathan Lethem which are being auctioned. This self portrait — measuring 30" x 28" — is an oil on wood. It was painted by Jonathan in 1979 and wa...
www.ebay.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Jonathan Lethem has given a self-portrait he painted in 1978, when he was fourteen, to a friend who is selling it (with Jonathan’s blessing) to pay for medical expenses.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
Breaking News: Frank Gehry, a titan of architecture, has died at 96. He designed some of the world’s most recognizable buildings — many widely regarded as masterpieces. nyti.ms/4rGCYiE
December 5, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Breaking News: Frank Gehry, a titan of architecture, has died at 96. He designed some of the world’s most recognizable buildings — many widely regarded as masterpieces. nyti.ms/4rGCYiE
We've been writing about this man for fifty years. You cannot be surprised by any of this. Can not.
December 5, 2025 at 2:14 PM
We've been writing about this man for fifty years. You cannot be surprised by any of this. Can not.
Reposted by Jeff MacGregor
To wrap up our week of mulling The Year of Rory, I wrote about the joys of being wrong about an athlete, for @friedegggolf.bsky.social www.thefriedegg.com/articles/ror...
I Was Wrong About Rory McIlroy's Masters Triumph
After years of front-row seats to watch Rory McIlroy come up short at major after major, Kevin Van Valkenburg details what it was like to see McIlroy win the 2025 Masters.
www.thefriedegg.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:17 PM
To wrap up our week of mulling The Year of Rory, I wrote about the joys of being wrong about an athlete, for @friedegggolf.bsky.social www.thefriedegg.com/articles/ror...