Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Astronomers confirm Earth has an asteroid buddy

It's the best and most stable example to date of a near-Earth companion, or "quasi-satellite." It's a small asteroid called 2016 HO3. It travels along with Earth in orbit around the sun.

Deborah Byrd

October 22, 2017

See it! Orionid meteors this weekend

This weekend's Orionid meteor shower didn't disappoint. EarthSky community photos, here.

Deborah Byrd

October 22, 2017

Young moon, refracted by atmosphere

Wonderful timelapse from Mike Cohea showing the October 20 young moon - only 1.3% illuminated - setting over Newport, Rhode Island, being refracted by Earth's atmosphere.

Deborah Byrd

October 22, 2017

See it! Elusive Uranus at opposition

Uranus - most distant planet visible, barely, to the unaided eye - was opposite the sun this week. Photos from the EarthSky community here.

Deborah Byrd

October 20, 2017

Watch for Taurid fireballs

North and South Taurid meteor showers happen simultaneously in late October and November. They're relatively minor showers, but produce a high percentage of fireballs, or bright meteors.

Bruce McClure

Deborah Byrd

October 19, 2017

Sunset over Atlantic, from Brazil

Saquarema was once known as Brazil's surfing capital. Spring is in progress there, and Helio C. Vital says that the sunset is almost back over the ocean.

Deborah Byrd

October 19, 2017

See it! Moon passes Venus and Mars

Did you see the moon sweep past the planets this week? Spectacular images from EarthSky friends here. Thanks to all who submitted!

Deborah Byrd

October 18, 2017

No new large planet on the outskirts of our solar system has yet been discovered, although evidence is building, astronomers say. By the way, if Planet 9 does exist … it's definitely not headed our way.

Deborah Byrd

October 17, 2017

Lenticular cloud over Mt. Rainier

Gary Peltz in Seattle caught this spectacular image of a lenticular cloud over Mt. Rainier on October 14, 2017.

Deborah Byrd

October 17, 2017

Gravitational waves, and more, from merging neutron stars

On Monday, LIGO and Virgo announced the 1st detection of gravitational waves produced by colliding neutron stars, and 1st observed in both gravitational waves and light. "It ushers in a new era in astronomy."

Deborah Byrd

October 16, 2017

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.