Posts by 

Deborah Byrd

Visible planets and night sky for February

Visible planets in February. We're 47 days from eclipse day! See the moon, Castor, Pollux and the faint Beehive before sunset until a little before sunrise.

Cassiopeia the Queen reigns in the February sky

Cassiopeia the Queen is an easy-to-find constellation. It has the shape of a W or M. Look in the northwest on evenings in late winter and early spring.

John Glenn 1st American in orbit 62 years ago today

John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth on February 20, 1962, 62 years ago today. His space capsule was called Friendship 7.

Can you see Canopus, the 2nd-brightest star?

Here's how to spot Canopus, the 2nd-brightest star in the sky as seen from Earth, on February evenings. It’s located far south on the sky’s dome.

Mars in 2024: Back in the morning sky

Mars is back in our morning sky. In fact, it's be visible in the morning sky for all of 2024 and it will reach opposition in January 2025.

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory to cut 8% of workforce this week

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory - for decades a leader in robotic exploration of the planets in our solar system - will cut 8% of its workforce this week.

See Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky

Spot Sirius in Canis Major the Greater Dog - the brightest star as seen from Earth. Learn the science and mythology of Sirius the Dog Star.

Catch a glimpse of Monoceros the Unicorn in the Milky Way

Inside a triangle of 3 bright stars - and hidden within the glitter of the Milky Way - you'll find the constellation of Monoceros the Unicorn.

Would-be Peregrine lunar lander has come home

Peregrine was meant to be the 1st commercial lunar lander. Then controllers noticed a fuel leak. Yesterday, the spacecraft came home, making a fiery Earth reentry.

Orion the Hunter is easy to spot in January

Orion the Hunter is one of the easiest constellations to identify thanks to its Belt, the 3 medium-bright stars in a short, straight row at his waist.