Posts by

Deborah Byrd

7.2-magnitude earthquake in Mexico

USGS said the quake was centered northwest of the Pacific resort of Acapulco, where many Mexicans are vacationing for the Easter holiday.

Deborah Byrd

April 18, 2014

Why is Mars near the moon on eclipse night?

A total eclipse moon has to happen at full moon. Outer planets are always near the full moon in their month of opposition. Mars reached opposition April 8 ...

Deborah Byrd

April 14, 2014

Times in EDT for Tuesday morning’s total eclipse of moon

Save this chart! It's the times in Eastern Daylight Time for Tuesday morning's total eclipse of the moon.

Deborah Byrd

April 13, 2014

Moon waxing toward total eclipse

As seen from around the world, the moon is waxing toward full. On the night of April 14-15, those in the Americas will see a total lunar eclipse.

Deborah Byrd

April 11, 2014

Astronomers may have spotted the first exomoon!

If it's true this distant planet has a moon, the moon would weigh less than Earth, and the planet would be more massive than Jupiter.

Deborah Byrd

April 10, 2014

Night sky from Antelope Canyon in Arizona

The night sky through the high walls and narrow opening of Upper Antelope Canyon in Arizona.

Deborah Byrd

April 10, 2014

Cataclysmic asteroid impact some 3.26 billion years ago

Scientists have reconstructed a collision between the early Earth and an asteroid. It dwarfed the event that caused dinosaurs to go extinct 65 million years ago.

Deborah Byrd

April 9, 2014

Atlantic sunglint reveals tails for Canary Islands

A particular quality of the light reflecting from the Atlantic Ocean reveals wavy, windsock-like tails stretching to the southwest from each of the Canary Islands.

Deborah Byrd

April 9, 2014

Warm water in Pacific could spark a monster El Nino in 2014

Scientists are watching a giant mass of sub-surface water in the Pacific. When this water reaches the sea surface, it could set off a powerful El Nino.

Deborah Byrd

April 8, 2014

Bright Mars

Earth goes between the sun and Mars on April 8. Mars is now brighter in our sky than it has been in six years, since December 2007.

Deborah Byrd

April 8, 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.