Posts by

Deborah Byrd

October 2011 Draconid meteor shower a winner!

Despite a bright moon, many people saw a good display of meteors in the Draconid meteor shower. Good job Canadian astronomer, Paul Wiegert!

Deborah Byrd

October 9, 2011

Triple and quadruple rainbows in 1st-ever photos

We now have the first scientifically accepted photos of triple and quadruple rainbows. For some, it's as if we've captured a picture of a real unicorn.

Deborah Byrd

October 9, 2011

Dramatic Draconid meteor shower for October 8, 2011?

The prediction for October 8 Draconid meteor storm favors all of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. A bright moon will interfere.

Bruce McClure

Deborah Byrd

October 8, 2011

Stewardship by fire in South African park restores grassland

Newly released NASA images show good Earth stewardship - via fire - in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Read more about it here.

Deborah Byrd

October 5, 2011

Real-life clan of cave bear had child artists

If you have seven minutes, please watch this fascinating video about the art of the Rouffignac caves in France, made by people 13,000 years ago.

Deborah Byrd

October 3, 2011

2011 Arctic sea ice minimum second-lowest in satellite record

Watch for the official announcement about 2011 Arctic sea ice minimum, coming soon. Expect to hear that 2011 proved to be a year of extreme melt.

Deborah Byrd

October 2, 2011

Bioluminescent surf at San Diego beaches in September, 2011

During the last week of September 2011, the coastline of San Diego County had bioluminescent surf that appeared lit from within by tiny sea creatures. See the videos.

Deborah Byrd

October 1, 2011

Moon’s shadow, like a ship, creates waves in Earth’s atmosphere

During a solar eclipse, the moon's shadow creates waves in Earth's atmosphere, much as a ship moving through the ocean creates waves at its bow and stern.

Deborah Byrd

October 1, 2011

Solar wind sandblasts Mercury

Solar wind sandblasts Mercury because its weak magnetic field provides little protection from the fierce solar wind, a squall of charged particles from the sun.

Deborah Byrd

Holly Clark Coburn

September 29, 2011

Two great videos carry you aboard ISS, flying over planet Earth

These two great videos give the feeling of being aboard the International Space Station, orbiting above our planet's night side.

Deborah Byrd

September 28, 2011

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.