Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Why is Venus so bright in our Earth’s sky?

You can't miss dazzling Venus in the west after darkness falls. It's the 3rd brightest object in the sky, after the sun and moon. But why is Venus so bright?

Visible planets and night sky guide for February

Visible planets and night sky guide for February 2025. Tonight, look for the waxing gibbous moon close to the Sickle asterism in the constellation Leo the Lion.

The Great Meteor Procession 112 years ago

On February 9, 1913, lucky observers witnessed the Great Meteor Procession. Bright meteors soared horizontally across the sky for minutes at a time.

Lightsails, and the audacious plan to reach the stars

Lightsails for star travel sound like the stuff of science fiction. But researchers at Caltech have been studying the properties of potential lightsails in the lab.

Mars near the twin stars of Gemini

Mars was at its brightest for 2025 in January. It'll grow fainter each month for the rest of the year. Look for Mars in the evening sky.

A planetary alignment on January 25, 2025?

You've heard the internet rumor of a great planetary alignment on January 25, 2025. So what's true and what isn't? The answers are here.

Thousands evacuated as Hughes fire breaks out in LA County

The Hughes fire is currently moving through LA county. It ignited northwest of Los Angeles on Wednesday morning and has spread across more than 10,000 acres.

Leo P and a host of other galaxies

Researchers used the Webb Space Telescope to reveal patterns of star formation in a dwarf galaxy, Leo P. The image captured many other galaxies too.

Orion the Hunter is easy to spot in January

Orion the Hunter is one of the easiest constellations to identify thanks to Orion's Belt, the 3 medium-bright stars in a short, straight row at his waist.

Starship explodes minutes after launch, planes diverted

SpaceX mission launched its newly upgraded Starship late Thursday, but the ship exploded minutes after launch. No crew was aboard.