Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Two sun halos seen over Canada yesterday

Here are two solar halos spotted over separate parts of Canada, at different times of day, yesterday.

This date in science: Leonhard Euler’s 306th birthday

The Google doodle for April 16, 2013 honors physicist and mathematician Leonhard Euler, whose 306th birthday is today.

Comet C/2013 A1 probably will not strike Mars in 2014

Previously, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said there was a 1 in 8,000 chance the comet would strike Mars. Now that chance has been reduced to 1 in 120,000.

As winter approaches, Titan’s south pole gets an ice cloud

The ice cloud above Titan's south pole can be seen only at infrared wavelengths. It means autumn is here, and winter is coming, for Titan's southern hemisphere.

Cheshire Cat moon in west after sunset

A waxing crescent moon, like the one you'll see in tonight's western sky after the sun goes down

April 11 solar flare strongest so far in 2013

Today's flare was associated with an Earth-directed CME. Most CMEs reach Earth in one to three days, making this a great weekend to watch for northern lights.

Video: How NASA intends to capture an asteroid

Why capture an asteroid? It's something NASA wants to learn to do, in case astronomers someday find an asteroid on a collision course with Earth.

It’s raining from Saturn’s rings

Scientists believe that a rain of charged water particles from Saturn's icy rings flows into the planet's atmosphere.

Fun facts and science of ice cream

In honor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, whose 35th anniversary was April 9 and who celebrated with a Free Cone Day.

Star trails look like rain over Baja, California

As we continue to celebrate International Dark Sky Week, we present this composite star trails image from photographer Sergio Garcia Rill.