Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Oldest albatross Wisdom lost her egg

Wisdom – world’s oldest known, banded, wild bird at an estimated age of 63 – laid a new egg in late 2014. Now nature reminds us that life and death go hand in hand.

Deborah Byrd

February 15, 2015

Mysterious dark matter in inner Milky Way

It's a tough measurement, but astronomers in Stockholm say they've proven dark matter exists in our part of the galaxy.

Deborah Byrd

February 15, 2015

Heart Nebula

It's 7,500 light years away, in the Perseus Arm of our Milky Way galaxy, in the direction to the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen.

Deborah Byrd

February 14, 2015

What if the universe had no beginning?

Reports of the death of the Big Bang have been greatly exaggerated. Big Bang theory is alive and well. At the same time, our universe may not have a beginning or end.

Deborah Byrd

February 10, 2015

Amazing video shows space cargo ship’s fiery destruction

The crew of ISS delivered this spectacular imagery of the fireworks as the vehicle slammed into Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean

Deborah Byrd

February 10, 2015

New half-life for iron-60 gives astronomers a better clock

Australian researchers get a new, more accurate half-life for iron-60, thereby making immeasurable time less so.

Deborah Byrd

February 10, 2015

Have astronomers pinpointed dark matter Galaxy X?

In 2009, astronomers predicted an unseen dark-matter-dominated dwarf galaxy orbiting our Milky Way - nicknamed Galaxy X. Now they say they've found it.

Deborah Byrd

February 7, 2015

Hello, Pluto! New images from New Horizons

On Clyde Tombaugh's birthday, newly released images from New Horizons spacecraft showing Pluto and its largest moon, Charon. The craft is now on approach to Pluto!

Deborah Byrd

February 5, 2015

NASA steps closer to a Europa mission

The space community is buzzing with news of positive steps toward NASA's planned mission to Jupiter's fascinating moon Europa.

Deborah Byrd

February 5, 2015

Long-necked dinosaur roamed China 160 million years ago

Scientists report on the discovery in China of a new species of dinosaur - calling Qijianglong - a creature that was "half neck."

Deborah Byrd

February 3, 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.