Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Merging galaxies behaving strangely

When large and small galaxies merge, the large galaxy's central black hole typically gorges on gas and dust. But in a merging galaxy system called Was 49, the small galaxy has the feeding black hole.

Deborah Byrd

April 1, 2017

Seahorse aurora

Seeing a seahorse shape in the shifting light of an aurora is an example of "pareidolia."

Deborah Byrd

April 1, 2017

No kidding! April Fools’ Comet

Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacombini-Kresák will be closer to Earth on April 1 than it's been since its discovery. You need a telescope to see it, but there's an online viewing Friday night.

Deborah Byrd

March 31, 2017

March 28 very young moon

It's rare to see a moon less than 24 hours old, that is, 24 hours past the new phase. But North America had a shot at a younger moon on the night of March 28.

Deborah Byrd

March 29, 2017

Watch a full rotation of the moon

Wonderful video from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a NASA spacecraft in a polar orbit around the moon since 2009. The moon as you've never seen it!

Deborah Byrd

March 28, 2017

Orion from the Southern Hemisphere

See the 3 stars of Orion's Belt in the upper right of this photo? The large, reddish cloud-like region on the lower left is the Gum Nebula.

Deborah Byrd

March 28, 2017

Another Planet 9 search! You can help

This one will use images of the sky visible from Earth's Southern Hemisphere. You can help from anyplace on the globe. The search is for a 9th major planet in our system, nicknamed Planet 9.

Deborah Byrd

March 27, 2017

Colors of scintillating Venus

Venus reaches inferior conjunction today, officially leaving the evening sky. It has been low in the sky, where Earth's atmosphere has caused Venus to scintillate, or twinkle, in many colors.

Deborah Byrd

March 25, 2017

New map of space dust in 3-D

Sure, we're all collections of space dust. But astronomers also want to study it in order to understand how space dust in our Milky Way obscures starlight from afar.

Deborah Byrd

March 25, 2017

Perfect airplane glory

You might catch an airplane glory when a mist or cloud lies below you, with the sun shining upon it.

Deborah Byrd

March 24, 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.