Posts by

Deborah Byrd

Sunshine, blowing snow and a sundog

Sundogs - aka parhelia - are caused by ice crystals in the air. They're most easily seen when the sun is low.

Deborah Byrd

December 7, 2018

Mars and Neptune, over-exposed

The bright planet Mars and faint planet Neptune are in conjunction now, near each other on our sky's dome. Here's a fanciful image and a more realistic one.

Deborah Byrd

December 7, 2018

A few people caught Mercury!

We weren't sure if any of you would catch Mercury so near the sunrise glare. But you did!

Deborah Byrd

December 5, 2018

A measurement of all the starlight ever produced

How much starlight has our universe produced? According to a new study, stars have radiated 4x10⁸⁴ photons since the start of the universe 13.7 billion years ago. That's the number 4 with 84 zeros behind it.

Eleanor Imster

Deborah Byrd

December 5, 2018

The Double Cluster in Perseus

The Double Cluster in Perseus consists of 2 star clusters, each containing supergiant suns. Individually, the clusters are known as h and Chi Persei.

Deborah Byrd

December 5, 2018

See it! Moon and Venus close

The waning crescent moon swept past Venus Monday and Tuesday mornings. The EarthSky community caught photos!

Deborah Byrd

December 3, 2018

Iridescent cloud with crepuscular rays

You'll see a true iridescent cloud when the sun is nearby. The colors will appear randomly distributed. Here's one with beams of light - crepuscular rays, or sunrays - appearing to shoot from it.

Deborah Byrd

December 3, 2018

Small asteroid to sweep close this weekend

The low velocity of asteroid 2018 WV1 suggests it's a fragment of the moon, ejected when a larger asteroid hit the moon long ago. It'll pass closest during the night Saturday, according to clocks in the Americas.

Deborah Byrd

December 1, 2018

Meet ESA’s SpaceBok robot

The walking and hopping SpaceBok robot is being tested now in ESA's Mars Yard, in the Netherlands. Someday these little robots might help explore the moon, or Mars.

Deborah Byrd

November 29, 2018

InSight lander sets down safely on Mars

There's a new robot on Mars' surface, the InSight spacecraft, designed to study the planet's interior. It set down safely Monday after nearly 7 months of flight from Earth and a 7-minute nail-biting plummet through Mars' thin atmosphere.

Deborah Byrd

November 26, 2018

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.