Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Rare Black Moon coming August 22-23! Why so special?

We'll have a Black Moon on August 22-23, 2025. A Black Moon is a special kind of new moon. Learn more about Black Moons here.

Thuban was the North Star for the ancient Egyptians

The North Star changes over time. Thuban was the Pole Star some 5,000 years ago, when the Egyptians were building the pyramids.
Favorite Star Patterns

Teapot of Sagittarius points to Milky Way center

As you gaze toward the famous Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, you are looking toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is overhead now

Corona Borealis, aka the Northern Crown, looks like the letter C. A dark sky is best for seeing this faint semicircle of stars. It's between Arcturus and Vega.

Return of Orion the Hunter, ghost of the summer dawn

Orion the Hunter returns to the east at dawn at this time every year. Here's how to watch for this most noticeable of constellations.

Summer Triangle star: Altair is variable and spins fast!

Altair, in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, is one of the closest stars to our solar system. It's variable in an unusual way, and it spins very fast!

Witnessing a solar system’s dawn, for the 1st time

Astronomers have witnessed a solar system's dawn. They see the 1st specks of planet-forming material: hot minerals just beginning to solidify.

Summer Triangle star Deneb is distant and luminous

When you gaze at the bright star Deneb, you’re gazing across thousands of light-years of space at one of the bright stars of the huge Summer Triangle asterism.

Scutum the Shield is named for a Polish king

Constellation Scutum consists only of a few stars, but it's noticeable in a dark sky because a rich region of the Milky Way is behind it.

New Horizons visited Pluto 10 years ago

New Horizons flew past distant Pluto 10 years ago in 2015. It changed forever the way we perceive this outermost world and its moons.