Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Sunset at Shell Beach, California

Shell Beach is a neighborhood in the city of Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County, California. Photographer Mimi Ditchie caught this image on Earth Day weekend.

Deborah Byrd

April 27, 2018

Gaia’s 2nd data release: 1.7 billion stars!

Why did ESA's director of science say Gaia's observations are "redefining the foundations" of astronomy? Also, links to virtual reality resources made possible by Gaia, available for you to explore.

Deborah Byrd

April 26, 2018

Watch thousands of asteroids orbiting our sun

Both NASA and ESA space missions have just released new videos plotting the orbits of tens of thousands of asteroids (and comets) orbiting our sun.

Deborah Byrd

April 26, 2018

Watch the mating dance of a new bird species

Be a birder for a few minutes, and enjoy the distinctive song, dance and courtship display of a newly recognized Bird-of-Paradise, in new videos from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Eleanor Imster

Deborah Byrd

April 25, 2018

See it! Last weekend’s Lyrid meteors

We didn't receive huge numbers of photos of the 2018 Lyrid meteor shower, but the ones we saw were beautiful. Thanks to all who submitted.

Deborah Byrd

April 25, 2018

These sea turtles use magnetic fields like GPS

"They might not always make it back to the exact beach where they were born, and instead might opt for beaches with similar magnetic properties, as if their internal GPS has just slightly mixed up addresses."

Eleanor Imster

Deborah Byrd

April 24, 2018

Star trails show celestial equator

Enjoy this interesting and unique photo of star trails, showing the whereabouts of the celestial equator and the arc of stars around both celestial poles.

Deborah Byrd

April 24, 2018

This Pacific island is the most plastic-polluted place on Earth

Explore remote, uninhabited Henderson Island in the South Pacific. It may look idyllic from above, but is littered with millions of tons of plastic.

Deborah Byrd

April 22, 2018

New study suggests violent origin for Mars’ moons

It was thought Mars' 2 small moons - Phobos and Deimos - might be captured asteroids. But new work suggests a violent birth for the moons during a colossal impact.

Deborah Byrd

April 19, 2018

TESS planet hunter on its way

"It’s the beginning of a new era of exoplanet research."

Deborah Byrd

April 19, 2018

Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.