Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Filmmakers look to world’s loneliest whale

The whale sings in a sound frequency that is so unusual, no other whales will respond. Filmmakers Josh Zeman and Adrian Grenier want to find it, and make a film about it.

Deborah Byrd

February 21, 2015

Mystery plumes on Mars puzzle scientists

Amateur astronomers spotted them first, but they show up in Hubble images, too. Astronomers are scratching their heads, wondering these mystery plumes are.

Deborah Byrd

February 18, 2015

Russian supply ship launched to ISS today

It's a fast-rendezvous, six-hour launch-to-dock mission to the International Space Station. Docking will occur later today. Online viewing details here.

Deborah Byrd

February 17, 2015

Selfie with Venus and Mars

The planets Venus and Mars are about to be amazing in the western sky after sunset. Watch for them. Cool selfie from Jean-Baptiste Feldmann in France!

Deborah Byrd

February 17, 2015

100 to compete for one-way Mars trip

The private venture Mars One has announced its selection of 50 men and 50 women who will compete via reality TV for a one-way Mars trip, as early as 2024.

Deborah Byrd

February 16, 2015

Wind sculpted this frozen sand in Michigan

It was cold in the upper U.S this weekend, when Joshua Nowicki noticed and captured these cool frozen sand formations.

Deborah Byrd

February 16, 2015

Unexpected storm at a galaxy’s core

At the core of a galaxy called the Teacup, jets from a central supermassive black hole may be gradually destroying the galaxy's ability to form new stars.

Deborah Byrd

February 15, 2015

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

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.