Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Largest human migration takes place around now

Hundreds of millions return to their home villages around the Chinese New Year. In a week to 10 days, 3.6 billion passenger miles are clocked on trains, buses, and cars.

Deborah Byrd

February 1, 2014

Yin and yang of Saturn’s moon Iapetus

In this image, Saturn's moon Iapetus looks similar to the Chinese taiji symbol, what many call the yin-yang symbol, representing nature's duality.

Deborah Byrd

January 31, 2014

Video: Stargazing in the Canadian Rockies

Jack Fusco captured more than 2,000 photos during the 2013 Jasper Dark Sky Festival in Canada, in order to create this timelapse video.

Deborah Byrd

January 30, 2014

Old moon, red in the morning, from Hong Kong

A waning crescent moon like this one - seen only shortly before the dawn - is called an old moon. New moon comes on January 30, 2014 at 21:38 UTC.

Deborah Byrd

January 30, 2014

Arctic blanket over U.S. on January 28

As frigid Arctic air surged into the U.S. this week, the GOES-East satellite captured this image of what looks like a blanket over the Arctic.

Deborah Byrd

January 29, 2014

Chinese moon rover Yutu is in trouble

The little robotic explorer is China's first on the moon. The Chang'e 3 that carried it set down in December. The rover might not survive the lunar night.

Deborah Byrd

January 28, 2014

Sun meets Taj Mahal

In 1631, emperor Shah Jahan, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died in childbirth. He built the Taj Mahal in memory of her.

Deborah Byrd

January 28, 2014

Strong earthquake on island in western Greece

Reports of the magnitude of the January 26, 2014 earthquake in Greece vary, but, at this time, the USGS is still reporting the quake as a magnitude 6.0.

Deborah Byrd

January 26, 2014

Sea smoke over the Atlantic

Sea smoke is also called Arctic smoke, or frost smoke, or Arctic mist. It forms when very cold air moves over warmer water.

Deborah Byrd

January 24, 2014

This date in science: A record-setting dive into the deepest ocean

On January, 23, 1960, the bathyscaphe Trieste made a record-setting dive to the deepest known part of the ocean.

Elizabeth Howell

Deborah Byrd

January 23, 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.