Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Moon’s bulge reveals its slow retreat from Earth

As the young moon receded from Earth and began spinning more slowly, its large equatorial bulge would have shrunk, cooled and hardened. Today, this fossil bulge on the moon tells a story about the early solar system.

Deborah Byrd

February 13, 2018

Spacecraft snaps new farthest-from-Earth images

Voyager 1 captured its famous Pale Blue Dot image at a record distance in 1990. It took 27 years to beat that record, but now New Horizons has.

Deborah Byrd

February 12, 2018

Sunday morning moon and Saturn

An astrophotographer in Alamosa, Colorado, went outside before dawn to clear the snow. Then he noticed the moon and Saturn. That image and more, below.

Deborah Byrd

February 11, 2018

Where is Elon Musk’s car going?

It was meant to go into an orbit that would take it past Mars, but where's it going really? Plus, see outer space from the vantage point of Starman, the mannequin in Elon Musk's red Tesla Roadster, and much more.

Deborah Byrd

February 10, 2018

Elon Musk, on Falcon Heavy’s triumphant launch

Follow Musk's description of the successful launch of the Falcon Heavy lift vehicle, which will give the U.S. a capability in space not seen since the Saturn V rockets of the Apollo era.

Deborah Byrd

February 7, 2018

James Webb Telescope arrives in California

The James Webb Telescope's 2 component halves had been undergoing testing in Houston. They're now at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in California, about to be assembled.

Deborah Byrd

February 7, 2018

TRAPPIST-1 worlds likely terrestrial and water-rich

Terrestrial means more like Earth than Jupiter or Saturn. Water-rich means a potential for life. New insights about the 7 planets orbiting the nearby star TRAPPIST-1.

Deborah Byrd

February 6, 2018

Watch online as 2 asteroids sweep close this week

How to watch online this week as 2 newly discovered asteroids - 2018 CB and 2018 CC - sweep closer to Earth than the moon.

Deborah Byrd

February 5, 2018

Volcán de Fuego from Earth and space

Volcán de Fuego - literally "fire volcano" - is one of Central America’s most active volcanos. Photos of its recent eruption here.

Deborah Byrd

Eleanor Imster

February 5, 2018

Scientists solve a methane puzzle

Since 2006, levels of heat-trapping methane in Earth's atmosphere have risen sharply. A new study settles a disagreement about the source.

Deborah Byrd

February 4, 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.