Posts by

Deborah Byrd

See the space shuttle in photos from final flight

Photos from STS-135, the historic final flight in NASA's space shuttle program.

Deborah Byrd

July 21, 2011

Asteroid Vesta seen in 1st Dawn image

NASA engineers estimate that Dawn orbit capture around Vesta took place around 5 UTC Saturday, July 16. This image is from 9,500 miles (15,000 kilometers) away.

Deborah Byrd

July 19, 2011

It’s dry across the US South and Southwest in summer 2011

Here in Texas and for 13 other states in the U.S. South and Southwest, severe drought conditions continue. Read more about dry weather.

Beth Lebwohl

Deborah Byrd

July 17, 2011

Celebrate Neptune in awesome images

Today marks the completion of Neptune's first known orbit in human history. Voyager 2 gave us images of Neptune the early observers would have envied.

Deborah Byrd

July 12, 2011

Space shuttle Atlantis liftoff seen from above

Space shuttle Atlantis blasted off from Cape Canaveral at 10:29 a.m. CDT (15:29 UTC) on July 8, 2011 for a final mission. This amazing photo captured the launch from above.

Deborah Byrd

July 10, 2011

Tsunamis from July 10 Japan earthquake only 6 inches high

A 7.0 earthquake near Japan on July 10 resulted in tsunamis of about six inches (10 cm), according to reports from Ofunato port in Iwate and Soma port in Fukushima.

Deborah Byrd

July 10, 2011

Magnitude 7.1 earthquake off coast of Japan on July 10

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's eastern coast on July 10, 2011. Tsunami advisories were issued and then cancelled.

Deborah Byrd

July 9, 2011

Space shuttle Atlantis up and away one last time

NASA's space shuttle Atlantis successfully blasted from Cape Canaveral on Friday, July 8, 2011. It is NASA's final space shuttle mission.

Deborah Byrd

July 8, 2011

Report on massive wall of dust in Phoenix on July 5, 2011

A massive wall of dust moved through Phoenix, Arizona Tuesday night, July 5. Hurricane force winds up 81 mph. Thousands temporarily without power.

Deborah Byrd

July 6, 2011

Expanding light bubble over Hawaii in video

Professional astronomers captured footage of an expanding light bubble over Hawaii, but it took the combined efforts of citizen astronomers to shed light on its cause.

Deborah Byrd

July 3, 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.