Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Alpha Cephei, or Alderamin, is a fast-spinning star

Meet Alpha Cephei, in the constellation Cepheus the King. It’s spinning so fast that it appears like a slightly flattened beach ball.

The September full Moon is the Harvest Moon near Saturn

The September full moon - the Super Harvest Moon - happens overnight on September 26, 2026. It'll be near the planet Saturn.

Mars sometimes is bright and sometimes is faint

Mars emerged in the April 2026 morning sky and is visible in the morning through year's end. Its next opposition - when it's brightest - is February 2027.

Curiosity rover insights after 5000+ sols on Mars

Curiosity rover has now spent 5,000 sols — the equivalent to 5,000 Martian days, or more than 14 years — on Mars. Here's a look at some of its discoveries.

2027 September equinox: All you need to know

The September equinox is almost here! Autumn for the Northern Hemisphere. Spring for the Southern Hemisphere. Here's all you need to know.

Great Square of Pegasus gallops into the autumn sky

The Great Square of Pegasus consists of 4 stars of nearly equal brightness in a large square pattern. It's a great jumping-off point for star-hopping.
Sun

Yes, there’s an aurora season, and it’s here

There's an aurora season around the equinoxes, due to the way the magnetic fields of the sun and the Earth work in conjunction with sun-Earth geometry.

Why is planet Venus so bright in Earth’s sky?

You can't miss dazzling Venus after sunset! It's the 3rd brightest object in the sky, after the sun and moon. But why is Venus so bright?

Zodiacal light: Start watching for it now

The zodiacal light is an eerie light extending up from the horizon before dawn around the Northern Hemisphere autumn. Southern Hemisphere? Look after sunset!

Orion’s Belt points to Sirius on September mornings

Use Orion's Belt to find Sirius, the sky's brightest star. In 2026, Jupiter is in the same region, outshining even Sirius.