Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Curiosity rover insights after 5000+ sols on Mars

Curiosity rover has now spent 5,000 sols — the equivalent to 5,000 Martian days, or more than 14 years — on Mars. Here's a look at some of its discoveries.

Visible planets and night sky guide for September and October

Visible planets and night sky guide. Watch for the Harvest Moon this weekend. And see a video here about Harvest Moon science and folklore.

Great Square of Pegasus gallops into the autumn sky

The Great Square of Pegasus consists of 4 stars of nearly equal brightness in a large square pattern. It's a great jumping-off point for star-hopping.
Sun

Yes, there’s an aurora season, and it’s here

There's an aurora season around the equinoxes, due to the way the magnetic fields of the sun and the Earth work in conjunction with sun-Earth geometry.

2026 September equinox: All you need to know

The September equinox is almost here! Autumn for the Northern Hemisphere. Spring for the Southern Hemisphere. Here's all you need to know.

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

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

Zodiacal light: Start watching for it now

The zodiacal light is an eerie light extending up from the horizon before dawn around the Northern Hemisphere autumn. Southern Hemisphere? Look after sunset!

Orion’s Belt points to Sirius on September mornings

Use Orion's Belt to find Sirius, the sky's brightest star. In 2026, Jupiter is in the same region, outshining even Sirius.

Fomalhaut is the Loneliest Star once again

Fomalhaut is known as the Loneliest Star because it shines brightly in a dim patch of sky. Saturn joined it in recent years, but is now pulling away.

The September full Moon is the Harvest Moon near Saturn

The September full moon - the Super Harvest Moon - happens overnight on September 26, 2026. It'll be near the planet Saturn.