Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Curiosity rover tracks on Mars, August 4, 2014

Today is the second anniversary of the Mars rover Curiosity's landing inside the Martian Gale Crater on August 5, 2012, PDT (Aug. 6, 2012, EDT).

Deborah Byrd

August 6, 2014

Saturn kisses the dark edge of the moon

Astrophotographer Colin Legg in Western Australia caught the August 4, 2014 occultation of Saturn by the moon. He called it "a brilliant thing to watch."

Deborah Byrd

August 5, 2014

For two weeks last August, all hell broke loose on Jupiter’s moon Io

The energy emitted by these volcanic eruptions implies lava fountains gushing at a huge volume per second, forming lava flows that quickly spread over Io's surface.

Deborah Byrd

August 4, 2014

Lifeform of the week: Florida manatee

Manatees and elephants have a common ancestor, and both have uncommonly shaped spherical hearts. Check out this sweet video from Three Sisters Springs, Crystal River, Florida.

Deborah Byrd

August 4, 2014

Soon-to-be-famous comet passes a ringed galaxy

Beautiful image of Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring from this weekend. This is the comet that will pass extremely near Mars in October. Thank you, Damian Peach!

Deborah Byrd

August 4, 2014

Watch online as the moon sweeps in front of Saturn

Online coverage of the moon photobombing Saturn - seen from Australia - will begin on Monday, August 4, starting at 4 a.m. PDT / 7 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC.

Deborah Byrd

August 3, 2014

Summer storm over Alberta, Canada

On the day Shannon McDowell sent in this photo, Alberta was under a severe thunderstorm threat.

Deborah Byrd

August 3, 2014

Methane release likely caused mystery crater on Yamal peninsula

A science team measured methane concentrations up to 50,000 times standard levels inside the crater.

Deborah Byrd

July 31, 2014

Deep-sea octopus guards her eggs for nearly 4.5 years

This Octomom was observed to set a new record - 53 months - for the longest brooding period of any known animal.

Deborah Byrd

July 31, 2014

Wildly misaligned planet-forming disks in binary star system HK Tau

There've been hints in the past that this type of misaligned system exists, but this is the cleanest and most striking example, astronomers say.

Deborah Byrd

July 30, 2014

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.