Cassini spacecraft prepares to plunge between Saturn's rings and the planet. Plus ... learn to see Saturn. Mars Curiosity rover's newest self-portrait. And more.
"Excited to see there'd be a high, long ISS pass over the 5 planets. In the end I could only see 4 planets, due to the cloud cover, but still very happy with the shot."
It's the first definitive detection of a property other than mass that's been linked to the invisible dark matter making up 27 percent of our universe.
Below, the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, former home of the Chinese emperor and a center of Chinese government. Above, the Forbidden City's sky counterpart.
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.