Posts by

Deborah Byrd

How do flocking birds move in unison?

How do some flocking birds perform their wonderful, graceful, synchronized movements? Hint: they don't just follow a leader or their neighbors.

Deborah Byrd

April 30, 2023

Do galaxy collisions power quasars? Will our Milky Way become a quasar?

Do galaxy collisions power quasars? UK astronomers have evidence suggesting they do. If so, then our own Milky Way galaxy might someday become a quasar.

Deborah Byrd

April 26, 2023

UFO hearing in Senate: New videos but no hard evidence

The Senate held a new congressional UFO hearing on April 19, 2023. It focused on the Pentagon's program AARO but also revealed interesting new videos and data.

Paul Scott Anderson

Deborah Byrd

April 22, 2023

Young moon on April 20: Will you see it under a day old?

Occasionally you get the chance to look for a very young moon, less than 24 hours old. Those in North America, may see one just after sunset on April 20.

Deborah Byrd

April 20, 2023

A geomagnetic storm is caused by activity on the sun

A geomagnetic storm is a disturbance in Earth's magnetic field, caused by activity on the sun. The current solar cycle number 25 has triggered a few of them.

Deborah Byrd

April 19, 2023

Bizarre star bridge links galaxy to runaway black hole

Scientists have identified a 200,000-light-years-long trail of young blue stars - a star bridge - linking a runaway black hole and the galaxy it's escaping.

Deborah Byrd

April 7, 2023

Asteroid 2023 EY to sweep closer than moon tonight

On March 17, 2023, near-Earth asteroid 2023 EY will sweep closely past Earth, coming within about 62% of the moon's distance. You can watch it live here!

Deborah Byrd

March 16, 2023

New NASA moon suit makes its debut

Working with the Houston-based company Axiom Space, NASA unveiled a prototype of the new NASA moon suit on March 15, 2023.

Deborah Byrd

March 16, 2023

What is a sun pillar, or light pillar? They’re beautiful!

A sun pillar, or light pillar, is a shaft of light from the sun or other bright light source, caused by ice crystals under the right atmospheric conditions.

Deborah Byrd

March 15, 2023

Tau Boötis’ pole flip was 15 years ago

On March 13, 2008, astronomers published the first study showing Tau Boötis experienced a pole flip. That's something we had previously only seen on the sun.

Deborah Byrd

March 12, 2023

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.