Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Did Scholz’s star invade the Oort Cloud?

Scholz´s star - named for its discoverer - is now 20 light-years away. But astronomers say they've verified a flyby of this star 70,000 years ago that disturbed comets in the Oort Cloud.

Deborah Byrd

March 22, 2018

Mars passes the Lagoon and Trifid

Mars is now brightening dramatically and making a beeline through many constellations. Astrophotographer Muzamir Mazlan in Malaysia caught it sweeping between the Lagoon and Trifid nebulae.

Deborah Byrd

March 22, 2018

An unusual shot of anticrepuscular rays

It looks like ordinary crepuscular rays are coming from the reflected sunlight at the base of this mountain. But that's not what's happening in this rare photo.

Deborah Byrd

March 21, 2018

Why do comets emit X-rays? Mystery solved

Researchers fired laser beams onto a plastic foil to mimic some of the conditions comets encounter as they travel through our solar system and to solve a long-standing mystery.

Deborah Byrd

March 20, 2018

Researchers say 1st interstellar asteroid likely from double star

New research suggests that the 1st confirmed interstellar asteroid - called ‘Oumuamua by astronomers - likely came from a system where 2 stars orbit each other.

Deborah Byrd

March 19, 2018

How can you know what to believe?

It's not surprising that a new study linking extreme winter weather in the U.S. East with a warmer Arctic has drawn fire from global warming skeptics. Should you believe the study or the skeptics?

Deborah Byrd

Eleanor Imster

March 19, 2018

See it! Young moon, Venus, Mercury

Wow! So many of you are catching the moon, Venus and Mercury after sunset. Thank you for all your photos. We wish we could post them all!

Deborah Byrd

March 19, 2018

Researchers explore the voids between superclusters

An analysis of the cosmic microwave background has provided clues about the gas inside vast cosmic voids in space, between giant superclusters of galaxies.

Deborah Byrd

March 18, 2018

Where did Mars get its organic molecules?

New computer simulations indicate 1/3 of Mars' organic molecules come from asteroids and comets.

Deborah Byrd

March 16, 2018

Pluto craft’s next target is Ultima Thule

New Horizons passed Pluto in 2015. With public input, the mission team has nicknamed the spacecraft's next target - on the fringes of our solar system - Ultima Thule.

Deborah Byrd

March 14, 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.