Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Is there a North Star for Mars?

Is there a North Star for Mars ... a guide star for future explorers? Not in any satisfying way. But Martian stargazers wouldn't lack for things to see!

1st intentional signal to space sent by Arecibo 50 years ago

Iconic Arecibo telescope is no longer operational. But its legacy lives on. And in 1974, Arecibo sent earthlings' 1st intentional signal to space.

The strange seasons of Uranus, a sideways world

The seasons of Uranus, each over 2 decades long, result from its tilted rotation axis, making for strange summers and winters on that planet.

When can YOU see the 1st-ever human-made meteor shower?

When DART spacecraft hit asteroid Dimorphos, it released debris that should arrive at Mars and Earth, creating the 1st human-made meteor shower for the planets.

Cassiopeia and Perseus on October evenings

Cassiopeia and Perseus are neighbors in the fall sky. Use Cassiopeia's distinctive W or M shape to locate the dimmer Perseus on autumn and winter evenings.

Comet A3 was the brightest comet in 27 years!

Comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was the brightest comet in 27 years, since Hale-Bopp. Did you see it? More on the comet plus images here.

60% chance for La Niña in late 2024. Mild or cold winter?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a La Niña Watch for the northern autumn of 2024. If it happens, conditions will likely persist to early 2025.

Celestial ocean: The watery constellations in the autumn sky

In Northern Hemisphere autumn (Southern Hemisphere spring), you can see some constellations representing a "celestial ocean in the sky" to early stargazers.

Alpheratz belongs to Andromeda, but is part of the Great Square

Alpheratz appears to our eyes as a single star but it is actually a close binary star system. Many stargazers use it to locate the Andromeda galaxy.

Hera mission: Keeping Earth safe from an asteroid collision

The Hera mission successfully launched on October 7, 2024. Hera will explore Dimorphos, which DART hit as a test of planetary defense in 2022.