Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Mars sometimes is bright and sometimes is faint

Mars emerged in the April 2026 morning sky and is visible in the morning through year's end. Its next opposition - when it's brightest - is February 2027.

Voyager 2: Our 1st and only visit to Neptune

On this day, August 25, 1989, Voyager 2 visited Neptune. To this day, no other spacecraft from Earth has returned to the faraway planet.

1st photo of Earth from the moon 60 years ago

As NASA plans to land astronauts on the moon with the Artemis IV mission in 2028, it's fun to see this 1st photo of Earth taken from the moon.
Favorite Star Patterns

Teapot of Sagittarius points to the Milky Way’s center

As you gaze toward the famous Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, you are looking toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy.

Voyager 2 spacecraft launched 49 years ago today

Voyager 2 realized the vision of what was originally called a Grand Tour of the outer solar system. It is the only craft that has visited all 4 outer planets.

Mission to save Swift spacecraft fails, will crash back to Earth

NASA said on August 19, 2026, the mission to save the Swift spacecraft will not work after attitude control issues. Swift will crash back to Earth this year.

Orionid meteor shower 2026: All you need to know

In 2026, the Orionid meteor shower should be most active on the morning of October 21. The best time to watch is in the dark hours before dawn.

Total solar eclipse August 12, 2026: Best images

Total solar eclipse August 12! Whether you saw it or not from your location, you can experience it! See the best images from our community here.

Total solar eclipse August 12: EarthSky livestream and more

The Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain will have a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. Parts of Europe and North America will see a partial.

How to watch a solar eclipse safely: tips here

Here are some great tips to watch a solar eclipse safely in a variety of ways, using filters, pinhole cameras and other viewing methods.