Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Sun pillar over frozen lake, Sweden

Nature photographer Jörgen Andersson posted this photo to EarthSky Facebook on January 22, 2018.

Deborah Byrd

January 25, 2018

Scientist proposes yet another new definition of a planet

What's a planet? What's a dwarf planet? What's a brown dwarf? In recent years, astronomers have grappled with these definitions. The newest proposal comes from Johns Hopkins.

Deborah Byrd

January 24, 2018

Tsunami warnings issued – later canceled – after powerful Alaska quake

A powerful earthquake struck 174 miles (280 km) southeast of Kodiak, Alaska, early on January 23. Tsunami watches or warnings were issued - later canceled - for western North America and Hawaii.

Deborah Byrd

January 23, 2018

Hubble Telescope finds substellar objects in Orion Nebula

Yes, the Orion Nebula is a star factory, but a new deep survey has revealed 17 brown dwarf companions to red dwarf stars, a brown dwarf pair, a brown dwarf with a planetary companion plus ... 3 giant planets.

Deborah Byrd

January 23, 2018

Orion high in southern skies

Orion the Hunter is at its highest in the south in the evening now for the Northern Hemisphere. But the Southern Hemisphere has an even better view!

Deborah Byrd

January 23, 2018

Sunrises this weekend

Enjoy these January sunrises, from EarthSky friends.

Deborah Byrd

January 22, 2018

NASA and NOAA: 2017 was record-setting for warmth

NASA says 2nd-warmest year on record. NOAA says 3rd-warmest. Their methodologies differ slightly, but - by both standards - the 2017 results make the past 4 years the hottest yet recorded.

Deborah Byrd

January 18, 2018

Saturn moon Titan has a sea level

A new topographic map of Titan, plus a new study showing that Titan's seas lie at an average elevation - a sea level - just as Earth's do.

Deborah Byrd

January 18, 2018

How massive can neutron stars be?

Settling a long debate, astrophysicists at Goethe University Frankfurt now say neutron stars can't exceed the mass of 2.16 suns.

Deborah Byrd

January 18, 2018

Supercomputer insights on mysterious black hole jets

Scientists used the Blue Waters supercomputer to show that a black hole's relativistic jets and accretion disk both may be spinning - and precessing over time - around an axis separate from the black hole itself.

Deborah Byrd

January 17, 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.