Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Pale Blue Dot 36 years later: Earth in a sunbeam

February 14, 2026, is the 36th anniversary of the Voyager 1 image of Earth. Voyager was near Saturn when it took this image, now known as the Pale Blue Dot.

Be my Valentine? Why we fall in love according to science

Be my Valentine? On this Valentine's Day 2026, read what the world of science says about the mystery we call love, and 10 reasons we fall in love.

The stars Shaula and Lesath herald the coming spring

On February mornings, look for the celestial ducks returning to open water on the river of the Milky Way as the stars Shaula and Lesath make their appearance.

See Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky

Sirius is the brightest star as seen from Earth and is visible from both hemispheres. It lies just 8.6 light-years away, in the constellation Canis Major.

Spring fireball season is underway! Watch for them

Spring fireball season is now! The rate of fireballs (bright meteors) often goes up in the Northern Hemisphere by as much as 30% from February through April.

Expect high tides whenever we have a supermoon

The sun and moon, among other things, affect the height of the tides. Expect higher-than-usual tides for a few days following a supermoon.

Challenger disaster: 40 years ago today

January 28, 1986. On today's date 40 years ago, the Space Shuttle Challenger (mission STS-51-L) exploded and broke apart 73 seconds into its flight.

Orion the Hunter is easy to spot in January

Orion the Hunter is one of the easiest constellations to identify thanks to Orion's Belt, the 3 medium-bright stars in a short, straight row at his waist.

We fly between Jupiter and the sun today

Giant Jupiter is closest to Earth for 2026 on January 9. Then Earth will fly between the sun and Jupiter - bringing Jupiter to opposition - on January 10.

Why is Jupiter closest to Earth 1 day before opposition?

Jupiter's closest point to the Earth in 2026, is on January 9. The distance between the sun and Jupiter will be 393 million miles, or 633 million km.

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