Blinn’s James Dire featured in astronomical exhibit at Benjamin Knox Gallery

Photos featured in exhibition through August at College Station gallery

August 12, 2025

Dr. James Dire’s lifelong fascination with the cosmos has landed his work in a special astronomical exhibit at the Benjamin Knox Gallery and Art Center in College Station.

Dire, Assistant Dean for  Physical Sciences for the Blinn College District, has nine 18-by-24-inch photographs on display at the gallery, located at 405 University Drive. The images are part of an astronomy-themed exhibition presented by members of the Brazos Valley Astronomy Club, which will run through August. Photographs from seven other club members also are featured.

Dire said his interest in space began in 1969, when he watched the first moon landing on television.

“My interest has never waned, and I eventually earned a PhD. in astrophysics from The John Hopkins University,” he said.

His interest in photography began in college.

“My first interest in photographing the heavens was for the total solar eclipse in February 1979. I have photographed more than a dozen solar eclipses since,” he said. “I expanded to photographing and studying the moon. After the development of digital cameras, I began shooting all types of celestial objects.”

Today, Dire owns more than 10 telescopes. Capturing the images requires patience, precision, and careful planning.

“Many of my compositions required exposing the digital sensors for hours at a time,” he said. “The trick is to be able to accurately track a celestial object as the Earth rotates so each star stays in the same pixel on the digital sensor during the long exposures. Processing an image on a computer can take as long as collecting the light.”

Dire’s photography can be viewed at astrojim.net. He holds a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Arts in Planetary Science from Johns Hopkins University. His doctoral dissertation focused on the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. He also has authored the “Deep-Sky” column in Reflector magazine since 2010 and regularly contributes articles published in Astronomy Technology Today.

Dire has published two books. His latest, Exploring the Universe: A Practical Guide for Hobbyists, was published in 2024 and includes hundreds of Dire’s photographs.