Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Arcturus, brightest star of the northern sky

Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern half of the sky. It's easy to find in spring in the Northern Hemisphere near the handle of the Big Dipper.

The 1919 solar eclipse that proved Einstein right

During a May 29, 1919, solar eclipse, astronomers saw the sun bend starlight, proving Einstein's general relativity and catapulting him to rock star fame.

Spica, the bright beacon of Virgo, is 2 stars

Spica is the brightest star in Virgo and a scorching-hot pair of stars, whirling very closely around one another. One of them may go supernova someday.

John F. Kennedy moon landing speech 65th anniversary

On May 25, 1961, John F. Kennedy addressed the US Congress, inspiring a nation to a moon landing, the Apollo missions, and the dream of a return to the moon.

Which moon phase is best for stargazing? That depends.

Which moon phase is best for stargazing? Most astronomers would tell you that the best moon is no moon. But it depends on what you want to see.

Baily’s beads seen during a solar eclipse today in 1836

May 15, 1836: Francis Baily, an English astronomer, saw light shining through lunar ridges during an eclipse of the sun. These are now known as Baily's beads.

How to see the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis)

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is an almost-perfect semicircle of stars. Learn to find it and identify its brightest star, and about its mythology.

Blue-white Vega is the sky’s 5th-brightest star

The blue star Vega is the brightest light in the distinctive constellation Lyra the Harp. Vega is easy to spot in May by looking northeast in the evening.

Today in science: Neil Armstrong’s close call

On May 6, 1968, more than a year before he walked on the moon, Neil Armstrong narrowly escaped disaster during training. See Neil Armstrong's close call here.

1st American in space, 65 years ago today

Alan Shepard became the 1st American in space on May 5, 1961. His suborbital flight took place just 3 weeks after the Soviet Union's Yuri Gagarin orbited Earth.