"With a large enough sample from your classifications, we can pick out black holes at different stages and build a better picture of their origins." - Radio Galaxy Zoo
People around the world saw the moon and Jupiter close together on December 18, 2013. After Venus set last night, they were the two brightest objects in the sky.
Perturbations in the orbit of Uranus let astronomers discover the planet Neptune in 1846. Now this same technique has been used to find a planet 1,000 light-years away.
The lander is named for the moon goddess of Chinese mythology. Its successful landing on Saturday made China the third nation ever to land on the moon.
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.