** Brian Coyle spotted a GIANT WATER BUG on Wednesday morning resting on a
board on the ground near his Upper Mountain Rd. home. There is a pond
approximately 100 yards away. As Brian comments, it is an extremely
well-adapted insect to both water and flying overland. The Giant Water Bug is
one of Canada's largest insects.
** The AMERICAN LADY [Vanesse de Virginie] butterfly is still on the wing.
Aldo Dorio got a photo of one at the Hay Island Nature Park on Thursday, as well
as some of the awesome fall colours at the park.
** A last-minute reminder of the birding field trip to Baie Verte Nature
Conservancy Canada site on for tomorrow, Saturday, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Susan
Atkinson will have her maroon van ready for those who would like to carpool.
Meet at the Moncton Coliseum parking lot, far corner, at 11:30 to 11:45 AM to
join Susan or follow her to the meeting site for 1:00.
This week’s Sky at a Glance is added below courtesy of Curt Nason
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, October 17 – October
24
I know it is hunting season for some people but for stargazers autumn is fishing season. And just as you can proverbially lead a horse to water, Pegasus the Flying Horse can lead us to fishing pools. Look for the square or diamond shape of Pegasus high in the southeast in early evening. From a rural area, notice the circle of stars below the southern side of the square. This is the Circlet of Pisces, which forms the head of one of the pair of fish in that constellation of the zodiac. Follow a trail of stars from the Circlet toward the eastern horizon to a star called Alrescha (meaning “the cord,” which Aphrodite and Eros used to tie their ankles together before changing into fish to escape the fearsome Typhon). Another, fainter fishy trail rises from Alrescha to the east of Pegasus and terminates just below Andromeda.
The western side of Pegasus points southward to the solitary bright star Fomalhaut (“foam a lot” is a reasonable pronunciation) in the mouth of Piscis Austrinus the Southern Fish. Fomalhaut is the 18th brightest star in our night sky. Astronomers have known it is surrounded by discs of debris for many years and in the past decade some believe they have imaged an exoplanet near the inner edge of a disc. The eastern side of Pegasus points down to Diphda, the brightest star in Cetus the Whale. This star is also called Deneb Kaitos, the tail of the whale. Another circlet of stars well to the east forms the head of the whale.
I do know that whales are mammals, but if a horse can fly it can also lead me to believe whales are fish. At least until sunrise.
I know it is hunting season for some people but for stargazers autumn is fishing season. And just as you can proverbially lead a horse to water, Pegasus the Flying Horse can lead us to fishing pools. Look for the square or diamond shape of Pegasus high in the southeast in early evening. From a rural area, notice the circle of stars below the southern side of the square. This is the Circlet of Pisces, which forms the head of one of the pair of fish in that constellation of the zodiac. Follow a trail of stars from the Circlet toward the eastern horizon to a star called Alrescha (meaning “the cord,” which Aphrodite and Eros used to tie their ankles together before changing into fish to escape the fearsome Typhon). Another, fainter fishy trail rises from Alrescha to the east of Pegasus and terminates just below Andromeda.
The western side of Pegasus points southward to the solitary bright star Fomalhaut (“foam a lot” is a reasonable pronunciation) in the mouth of Piscis Austrinus the Southern Fish. Fomalhaut is the 18th brightest star in our night sky. Astronomers have known it is surrounded by discs of debris for many years and in the past decade some believe they have imaged an exoplanet near the inner edge of a disc. The eastern side of Pegasus points down to Diphda, the brightest star in Cetus the Whale. This star is also called Deneb Kaitos, the tail of the whale. Another circlet of stars well to the east forms the head of the whale.
I do know that whales are mammals, but if a horse can fly it can also lead me to believe whales are fish. At least until sunrise.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:39 am and sunset will occur at 6:30 pm, giving 10 hours, 51 minutes of daylight (7:43 am and 6:36 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:48 am and set at 6:18 pm, giving 10 hours, 30 minutes of daylight (7:52 am and 6:24 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Tuesday, providing great viewing through a scope all week.
Mercury begins moving sunward this week but it still rises more than an hour and a half before the Sun and gets slightly brighter. Mars slides past Jupiter this weekend and Venus does the same next weekend. All three planets will fit within a low power binocular field. Saturn sets before 8:00 pm by next weekend so observe it as soon as possible in twilight. When it gets low in the sky our atmosphere interferes with the clarity of the view.
You might notice a slight increase in meteors this week, especially in the morning, as the Orionid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday. They will appear to originate from Orion’s club well above the orange star Betelgeuse.
The NB Centre of the RASC meets for astronomy talks at the UNB Fredericton Forestry/Earth Sciences Building, Room 203 on Saturday, October 17 at 1 pm. All are welcome and there is no fee.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
AMERICAN LADY BUTTERFLY.OCT 15, 2015.ALDO DORIO
AUTUMN LEAVES AT HAY ISLAND NATURE PARK..OCT 14, 2015.ALDO DORIO
AUTUMN LEAVES AT HAY ISLAND NATURE PARK..OCT 14, 2015.ALDO DORIO
GIANT WATER BUG.OCT. 14, 2015.BRIAN COYLE
