Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. 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.

Eclipses in 2019

By Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 13 hours ago

By Deborah Byrd

A heliocentric – or sun-centered – view of eclipses in 2019 from astronomer Guy Ottewell.

See it! Last night’s lunar eclipse

By Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | Today's Image | 14 hours ago

By Deborah Byrd

It was the last total eclipse of the moon until May, 2021. The EarthSky community captured it. A selection of images here. See more at EarthSky Community Photos!

How to watch a total eclipse of the moon

By Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | Space | 2 days ago

By Deborah Byrd

Are you planning on watching the January 20-21 total eclipse of the moon? Here are some tips.

Why does moon in total eclipse look red?

By Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | Space | 4 days ago

By Deborah Byrd

If Earth didn’t have an atmosphere, the moon would be dark – perhaps even invisible – when entirely eclipsed within Earth’s shadow.

Rocky planet surface in forground, shining ribbon of planet-forming disk in background.

Double star flips planet-forming disk into pole position

By Deborah Byrd in Space | 5 days ago

By Deborah Byrd

Our sun’s planets orbit in a plane extending from the sun’s equator. Astronomers have found a double-star system whose planet-forming disk has flipped up – perpendicular to what we’d expect – over the poles. What would nature be like on one of these worlds?

Today in science: Finding magnetic south

By Deborah Byrd in Earth | Human World | 6 days ago

By Deborah Byrd

On January 16, 1909, a team of Antarctic explorers thought they’d found the magnetic south pole. Then, a few years later, they began to have doubts.

Venus and Jupiter before sunup

By Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 6 days ago

By Deborah Byrd

The 2 brightest planets are easy to spot in the east before dawn now. Plus they’re getting closer! The Venus-Jupiter conjunction will come on the morning of January 22.