Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Visible planets and night sky guide for May

Visible planets and night sky guide for May 2024. Look for Mars and Saturn before dawn in the morning sky. Mars is reddish and Saturn is golden.

Happy May Day! Today is an astronomy holiday

Happy May Day! This annual celebration has its roots in astronomy as 1 of 4 cross-quarter days. Dancing around a maypole is a traditional May Day celebration.

Why do we celebrate Earth Day on April 22?

April 22 is the date of Earth Day in part because of Arbor Day, an earlier observance. The focus for 2024 is "Planet vs. Plastics."

Why does the moon seem to follow me when I’m in a car?

Here's something you - or your kids - might have noticed: When you're in a moving car, earthly objects get left behind, but the moon seems to follow. Why?

Kochab and Pherkad: Outer bowl stars of the Little Dipper

Kochab and Pherkad are the two outer stars in the bowl of the Little Dipper. They were the pole stars from 1500 BC to 500 BC.

Meet Gaia BH3, our galaxy’s most massive stellar black hole

Astronomers have discovered the most massive stellar black hole yet discovered in our home galaxy, the Milky Way. They call the object Gaia BH3.

Hercules is between 2 bright stars: Vega and Arcturus

The bright stars Arcturus and Vega can help you find the constellation Hercules and its Keystone asterism. Hercules is home to 2 fabulous globular clusters.

Mars in 2024: It’s found in the morning sky

Mars is ascending higher in the morning sky each month. Mars will be visible - but dim - before dawn for most of 2024. By the year's end, it'll be noticeable!

Is the rare New Jersey earthquake related to the eclipse?

Conspiracy theorists are imagining a connection between yesterday's New Jersey earthquake and Monday's solar eclipse. The quake and the craziness here. 

How to watch a solar eclipse safely on April 8

It's almost eclipse day! Here are some great tips to watch a solar eclipse safely with a variety of methods. Get ready for the April 8 eclipse.