Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

SpaceX rocket hit the moon: Before and after pics

A SpaceX rocket hit the moon on August 5. Here's what astronomers have observed so far from this historic lunar event, including before and after pics.

Mars Curiosity rover’s 7 minutes of terror 14 years ago

To celebrate the 14-year anniversary of Curiosity rover's arrival on Mars, here’s a video on the final 7 minutes of its chilling descent on August 5-6, 2012.

Earthquake in Japan triggers mall collapse in Kumamoto

A powerful earthquake in Japan caused a mall to collapse, leaving people missing and injured. The Japan Meteorological Agency said it registered magnitude 7.1.

Return of Orion the Hunter, ghost of the summer dawn

Orion the Hunter returns to the east at dawn at this time every year. Here's how to watch for this most noticeable of constellations.

Wildfires in Spain and France: 200,000 forced to flee

Raging wildfires in Spain and France have forced over 200,000 to evacuate or shelter as extreme heat and winds push uncontained blazes across both regions.

Find M4: An easy to spot globular cluster near Antares

Find M4, one of the easiest globular star clusters to spot. It's located just next to reddish Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion.

Summer Triangle star: Altair is variable and spins fast!

Altair, in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, is one of the closest stars to our solar system. It's variable in an unusual way, and it spins very fast!

The Day the Earth Smiled: July 19, 2013

July 19 is the 13th anniversary of The Day the Earth Smiled, the 3rd-ever image of Earth from the outer solar system, taken by the great Cassini spacecraft.

The 1st footsteps on the moon: Celebrate with Moon Day

Tomorrow is the 57th anniversary of humanity's historic Apollo moon landing and the 1st human footsteps on the moon. And it's also International Moon Day.

Coathanger cluster: This star pattern looks like its name

The Coathanger cluster resembles its namesake and is easy to spot with binoculars, using the star Albireo - part of the Summer Triangle - as a signpost.