Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Possible rings around minor planet Chiron

Chiron is the second minor planet and the second centaur - orbiting beyond Jupiter in the outer solar system - suspected to have a ring system.

Deborah Byrd

March 16, 2015

Frozen bubble

Jocelyne Dupuis in Canada took advantage of the recent freezing weather to capture this cool image of a frozen soap bubble. Thanks, Jocelyne!

Deborah Byrd

March 15, 2015

Milky Way has 3 more satellite galaxies

At least! Six other objects could be either dwarf galaxies or globular clusters. These humble Milky Way satellites are a key to the dark matter puzzle.

Deborah Byrd

March 13, 2015

New explanation for Siberia’s mystery craters

More new mystery craters reported in Russian media last month. A Russian scientist calls for "urgent investigation." Other scientists suggest a new cause.

Deborah Byrd

March 13, 2015

Earth-directed solar X-flare March 11

The sun has been relatively quiet, and this is the first X-flare of 2015. It caused a brief radio blackout at some frequencies. Possible aurora alert ahead.

Deborah Byrd

March 11, 2015

Video: Dance of the Northern Lights

A quiet night for auroras at Churchill, Manitoba, Canada - located at at 58° North, under the auroral oval - is a spectacular auroral display for most of us.

Deborah Byrd

March 10, 2015

Saturn, Antares and the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex

A bright star, a planet, various kinds of nebulae in space, and a word about the birth and death of stars.

Deborah Byrd

March 10, 2015

Dusty galaxy in the early universe

A very early galaxy containing what astronomers call "dust" - elements such as carbon, iron and oxygen - raw materials for making planets.

Deborah Byrd

March 8, 2015

Towering dust devil on Mars

Dust devils on Mars can be some 10 times larger than any tornado on Earth. They're a Martian version of extreme weather.

Deborah Byrd

March 5, 2015

Composites of October 8 moon eclipse

As the April 4 lunar eclipse approaches ... some interesting composites from the last lunar eclipse.

Deborah Byrd

March 4, 2015

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.