A shooting star and a "new" star, or nova. The shooting star is space dust. And the nova is an explosion on an old star. Check out this photo by Colin Legg of Australia.

Deborah Byrd

December 15, 2013

The weird object near Saturn’s A ring

A member of the Cassini spacecraft's imaging team spied a mysterious object at edge of Saturn's A ring and named it Peggy.

Deborah Byrd

December 14, 2013

How to see Comet Lovejoy in December 2013

Around mid-December, Comet Lovejoy is near the famous Keystone asterism in the constellation Hercules. Photos and charts here.

Deborah Byrd

December 14, 2013

Murmuration, Venus, in day’s last light

A flock of starlings is known as a “chattering,” “clattering,” “cloud,” “congregation,” or “murmuration.”

Deborah Byrd

December 13, 2013

Arctic caught a break in 2013, as long-term warming continues

"The relatively cool year [in 2013] does little to offset the long-term trend of the last 30 years: the Arctic is warming rapidly, becoming greener and experiencing a variety of changes." - David M. Kennedy

Deborah Byrd

December 12, 2013

Antarctic ozone hole is not yet in recovery

Twenty years after Montreal Protocol limited emissions of ozone-destroying chemicals, the Antarctic ozone hole has stabilized but has not begun to recover.

Deborah Byrd

December 12, 2013

Juno captured starship-like view of Earth and moon

The closest we've come yet to being on the bridge of the starship Enterprise, but this time it's Earth on the view screen. Thanks, Juno spacecraft!

Deborah Byrd

December 10, 2013

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.