Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Snow, lit by full moon, from space

An Arctic air mass brought snow to the northern U.S. last week. A lake-effect snow followed an earlier snow accumulation. A NASA satellite caught the view from space, under full moonlight.

Deborah Byrd

December 20, 2016

Spacecraft to search for Trojan asteroids

In February 2017, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will search for Earth-Trojan asteroids in the vicinity of Earth's L-4 point while on its outbound journey to the asteroid Bennu.

Deborah Byrd

December 19, 2016

Ursid meteors are flying

The moon is up during the best hours for watching (after midnight). Still, people are catching Ursid meteors. This one was a bright one! The Ursid shower peaks this week.

Deborah Byrd

December 19, 2016

Scientists explore Ceres’ water wealth

Water ice in permanently shadowed craters on Ceres. Water ice everywhere, on or near the surface. Last week, Dawn spacecraft scientists presented 2 lines of evidence that Ceres is water-rich.

Deborah Byrd

December 18, 2016

Ceres bright spots get names

The International Astronomical Union approved the new names on November 26, and scientists used them while discussing other findings about Ceres at this week's American Geophysical Union meeting.

Deborah Byrd

December 17, 2016

Rosetta comet craft’s last words

One of Rosetta's final reports was of a large object in its field of view: the comet's horizon as the spacecraft was about to strike the comet.

Deborah Byrd

December 17, 2016

Rover hits jackpot of Mars evidence

A cool animation showing now and long ago at Gale Crater, plus the path of the Curiosity rover on Mars today, and an update on Curiosity's findings.

Deborah Byrd

December 17, 2016

Zodiacal light over Momotombo Volcano

This photographer captured a volcano from a volcano, plus he caught the hazy pyramid of light known as the "false dawn," and more.

Deborah Byrd

December 16, 2016

Twice as many bird species as before?

Bird watchers, prepare to update your checklists. Ornithologists are pondering a new way of defining bird species. If the new thinking is accepted globally, the number of known bird species would double.

Deborah Byrd

December 13, 2016

Rare glimpse of feathered dinosaur tail

Noticed at an amber market in Myanmar, an amber specimen is now said to hold one of the best, most beautiful and most useful examples of dinosaur feathers.

Deborah Byrd

December 13, 2016

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.