Posts by

Deborah Byrd

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

Scientists discover vast methane plumes escaping from Arctic seafloor

Scientists aboard the icebreaker Oden observe a methane mega flare.

Deborah Byrd

July 30, 2014

101 geysers on Enceladus, ice moon of Saturn

Researchers have concluded that the only plausible source for the geysers is an underground sea now known to exist beneath Enceladus' icy surface.

Deborah Byrd

July 29, 2014

Webcam sees baby sea turtles hatch and head toward sea

These baby loggerhead sea turtles hatched from their eggs and began their march to the sea on the night of July 25.

Deborah Byrd

July 28, 2014

Perseid meteor shower kicks off! Fireballs detected this weekend

Earth has just entered the stream of debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, the parent comet of the Perseids. Now is the time to start watching for meteors.

Deborah Byrd

July 27, 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.