Posts by

Deborah Byrd

What’s a Blood Moon? All you need to know

By this definition, Blood Moon is a member of a special kind of lunar tetrad : four total lunar eclipses in a row. Now it's used for any total lunar eclipse.

Bruce McClure

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

The moon illusion makes the moon look huge!

When you see a large-looking moon low in the sky, does the moon look bigger to you? That's the moon illusion that makes the moon look so big.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

What is a last quarter moon?

The last quarter moon appears a week after full moon and a week before new moon. The moon appears half-lit, like half a pie.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

The Big Dipper, the Pointers and Polaris

Want to find Polaris, the North Star? The entire northern sky turns around it. If you can find the Big Dipper, you can always find Polaris.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

Planisphere: Your friend to find stars and constellations

A planisphere is an easy-to-use tool that can help you learn the night sky. Align the date and time to see what constellations and stars are overhead.

Bruce McClure

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

First quarter moon appears half-illuminated

The first quarter moon is halfway between new and full moon. Half of the moon is illuminated and it's a quarter of the way through it's orbit around the Earth.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

What is a waxing gibbous moon?

A waxing gibbous moon is in the sky before it's dark and lights up the early evening. It's more than half lighted, but not quite full. It sets after midnight.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

What’s a supermoon? Here are the supermoons in 2026

What's a supermoon? In 2026, we will have three full supermoons and five new supermoons. The first full supermoon is in January.

Deborah Byrd

Marcy Curran

January 1, 2026

What is a waning gibbous moon?

The waning gibbous moon falls between the full and last quarter moon. Watch for it to rise late at night. Or see it in the west in the morning.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

4 keys to understanding moon phases

As the moon circles Earth, we see different fractions of its lighted face: the changing moon phases. Here are 4 tips for understanding them.

Deborah Byrd

January 1, 2026

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.