Dave Christie comments the storm brought a few new species to his Mary’s
Point feeder yard. At least three Pine Siskins were new arrivals with the
regular American Goldfinch. Also one Song Sparrow appeared, a species he had not
seen in his feeder yard since early November. He assumes it was an individual
that had been feeding in the shoreline marsh that moved up to the feeder yard
for easier pickings and looks forward to seeing it every day all this winter
now.
This week’s sky at a glance is added courtesy of Curt
Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 16 – January 23 – Courtesy of
Curt Nason
When the Moon is full or nearly so, amateur astronomers can get a little
grumpy because the moonlight washes out the faint galaxies, nebulae and
comets. That is also when the Moon is less interesting to observe. But
this time of year the nearly full Moon can play a role in some
imaginative stargazing. On Tuesday evening it passes through the
V-shaped Hyades star cluster, passing in front of various stars (see
below). The next evening it is above Orion, three days from full and
looking like a football or maybe a rugby ball. On Thursday the Moon is
in the feet of the Gemini twins. The past couple of winters I have taken
notice of these stellar athletes.
Go out on these nights and imagine Orion is just tossing or catching a
football, or Castor and Pollux are kicking a soccer ball. It gets better
in a month or two when the round full Moon is near Orion. Is he spiking
volleyball or going for a three-pointer on the basketball court? It’s
your game, make it whatever you want it to be. Just do it, as they say.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:57 am and sunset will occur at
5:01 pm, giving 9 hours, 4 minutes of daylight (7:59 am and 5:09 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:52 am and set at 5:10
pm, giving 9 hours, 18 minutes of daylight (7:54 am and 5:18 pm in Saint
John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Saturday, making a great weekend for
moongazing. With a scope, look for the Lunar X within an hour of sunset
on Saturday, just inside the shadow and a little more than halfway down.
Sunlight catching the peaks of three adjacent craters produces the X for
a few hours. The Moon occults the bright star Aldebaran again on Tuesday
evening, with the disappearance occurring around 10:40. It will reappear
on the sunlit side 70 minutes later. Next Saturday will see the full
Wolf Moon, so keep your ears peeled for late night howling.
Jupiter is now rising before 10 pm. See if you can pick out all four of
its large moons with binoculars. Regulus, Jupiter, Spica, Mars, Saturn
and Venus stretch along the ecliptic in early morning. Mercury is lost
in the twilight but it will join the morning parade in a couple of weeks.
If you want to combine a crisp nature walk with stargazing, join the
annual Moonlight Snowshoe Hike at Sheldon’s Point in Saint John at 7 pm
next Saturday, January 23. Telescopes will be set of for observing after
the hike. For details see:https://www.jdirving.com/jd-irving-sustainability-nature-parks-irving-nature-park-schedule.aspx
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
When the Moon is full or nearly so, amateur astronomers can get a little
grumpy because the moonlight washes out the faint galaxies, nebulae and
comets. That is also when the Moon is less interesting to observe. But
this time of year the nearly full Moon can play a role in some
imaginative stargazing. On Tuesday evening it passes through the
V-shaped Hyades star cluster, passing in front of various stars (see
below). The next evening it is above Orion, three days from full and
looking like a football or maybe a rugby ball. On Thursday the Moon is
in the feet of the Gemini twins. The past couple of winters I have taken
notice of these stellar athletes.
Go out on these nights and imagine Orion is just tossing or catching a
football, or Castor and Pollux are kicking a soccer ball. It gets better
in a month or two when the round full Moon is near Orion. Is he spiking
volleyball or going for a three-pointer on the basketball court? It’s
your game, make it whatever you want it to be. Just do it, as they say.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:57 am and sunset will occur at
5:01 pm, giving 9 hours, 4 minutes of daylight (7:59 am and 5:09 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:52 am and set at 5:10
pm, giving 9 hours, 18 minutes of daylight (7:54 am and 5:18 pm in Saint
John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Saturday, making a great weekend for
moongazing. With a scope, look for the Lunar X within an hour of sunset
on Saturday, just inside the shadow and a little more than halfway down.
Sunlight catching the peaks of three adjacent craters produces the X for
a few hours. The Moon occults the bright star Aldebaran again on Tuesday
evening, with the disappearance occurring around 10:40. It will reappear
on the sunlit side 70 minutes later. Next Saturday will see the full
Wolf Moon, so keep your ears peeled for late night howling.
Jupiter is now rising before 10 pm. See if you can pick out all four of
its large moons with binoculars. Regulus, Jupiter, Spica, Mars, Saturn
and Venus stretch along the ecliptic in early morning. Mercury is lost
in the twilight but it will join the morning parade in a couple of weeks.
If you want to combine a crisp nature walk with stargazing, join the
annual Moonlight Snowshoe Hike at Sheldon’s Point in Saint John at 7 pm
next Saturday, January 23. Telescopes will be set of for observing after
the hike. For details see:https://www.jdirving.com/jd-irving-sustainability-nature-parks-irving-nature-park-schedule.aspx
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
