The ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER [Paruline verdâtre] that has been patronizing Bob and
Shirley Childs' feeder area in Riverview continues its daily visits. It had
been feeding solely on suet; however, the Childs put out a feeder filled with
mid-cut sunflower chips which the Orange-crowned Warbler is now feeding at as
well as the suet.
** Clarence Cormier is back to his Grande-Digue home with feeders out on
Thursday. The first birds to arrive were 7 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de
Colchide]: 2 males and 5 females. They were followed by 10 BLACK-CAPPED
CHICKADEES [Mésange à tête noire] which obviously put out the "all is well"
alert as soon after 6 AMERICAN ROBINS [Merle d'Amérique] arrived to a yard
Mountain Ash tree and 5 CEDAR WAXWINGS [Jaseur d'Amérique] arrived to check on
the activity but did not feed. Clarence was certain the Waxwings were indeed
Cedar Waxwings, not the more expected Bohemian Waxwings.
** Georges Brun has been monitoring activity along the Petitcodiac River,
noting BALD EAGLE [Pygargue à tête blanche], RING-NECKED PHEASANTS [Faisan de
Colchide], AMERICAN CROWS [Corneille d'Amérique] in groups, a few dozen ducks
predominantly MALLARDS [Canard colvert], a flock of finches that suggested
COMMON REDPOLLS [Sizerin flame], and some awesome sunsets. A drone joined the
activity behind Northumberland Dairy on Thursday.
** The January Nature Moncton meeting will be the annual Members Night,
this year scheduled on Tuesday night, January 19th at Mapleton Rotary Lodge.
Nature Moncton is a very diverse group with many interests, and this is the time
to share some of those interests in short 5 to 15 minute vignettes that can be
on any subject in nature to humourous skits, interesting places visited, poems,
good books read and lots more. Leave your name and subject with president John
Foster by phone at 384-7212 or email John at fosterjs@nb.sympatico.ca Contact
John as soon as possible so he can plan the itinerary for that evening.
** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this transcription, courtesy of
Curt Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 9 –
January 16
With Orion’s hourglass figure now above the horizon a half hour after
sunset, the giant hunter waits an hour or so for his two dogs to get up
before he starts hunting. The first to greet the night is Canis Minor
the Little Dog, a small constellation highlighted by Procyon, the eighth
brightest star. To identify this star, Orion’s head and shoulders form
an arrowhead, with orange Betelgeuse at the apex, that points toward
Procyon. Like Sirius in Canis Major, this star is bright because it is
in our celestial backyard, about 11 light years away.
The name Procyon means “before the dog,” indicating it is a harbinger of
Sirius the Dog Star which rises about 40 minutes later. Ancient Egyptian
farmers watched for the first visible rising of Sirius before sunrise,
as experience had taught them the Nile would soon flood its banks with
fertile soil when this occurred. In mythology the two dogs are sometimes
depicted as Laelaps (Canis Major), an extremely fast dog, and an equally
fast fox. The dog was sent to hunt the fox but, after a long chase with
no apparent end, Zeus turned them both to stone and placed them in the sky.
I like to look at the dogs and their westerly neighbours, Orion and
Lepus the Hare, in a more modern sense. The mighty demigod Orion becomes
everyone’s favourite hunter, Elmer Fudd, with that wascawwy wabbit
bugging him below his feet. Although not related directly to Bugs Bunny
cartoons, the big and little dogs become Spike and Chester. Just as
Chester would bounce around in front of his hero bulldog Spike, Canis
Minor bounces up before Canis Major.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 8:00 am and sunset will occur at
4:52 pm, giving 8 hours, 52 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 5:00 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:57 am and set at 5:01
pm, giving 9 hours, 4 minutes of daylight (7:59 am and 5:09 pm in Saint
John).
The Moon is new on Saturday, making a great weekend to look for faint
star clusters and Comet Catalina. The Moon will provide great evening
views in a telescope during the latter half of the week as it approaches
first quarter phase next Saturday. For a binocular challenge Sunday,
look for Mercury a few degrees above the WSW horizon a half hour after
sunset, and try to pick out the extra slim crescent Moon a few degrees
above it. Mercury is at inferior conjunction on Thursday.
The highlight of the week occurs Saturday morning (January 9) when
Saturn and Venus are less than a Moon-width apart. Jupiter rises by 10
pm late in the week and still provides good viewing for morning people.
Watch for the daily changing positions of its four large moons with
binoculars; they will look like faint stars on either side of the
planet. Orange Mars continues to pull away eastward of Spica. By Friday
Comet Catalina will be above the end of the handle of the Big Dipper.
The William Brydone Jack Astronomy Club in Fredericton meets on Tuesday
at 7pm in Room 203 of the UNB Forestry/Earth Sciences Building. RASC NB,
the provincial astronomy club, meets on January 16 at 1 pm in the Saint
John Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
With Orion’s hourglass figure now above the horizon a half hour after
sunset, the giant hunter waits an hour or so for his two dogs to get up
before he starts hunting. The first to greet the night is Canis Minor
the Little Dog, a small constellation highlighted by Procyon, the eighth
brightest star. To identify this star, Orion’s head and shoulders form
an arrowhead, with orange Betelgeuse at the apex, that points toward
Procyon. Like Sirius in Canis Major, this star is bright because it is
in our celestial backyard, about 11 light years away.
The name Procyon means “before the dog,” indicating it is a harbinger of
Sirius the Dog Star which rises about 40 minutes later. Ancient Egyptian
farmers watched for the first visible rising of Sirius before sunrise,
as experience had taught them the Nile would soon flood its banks with
fertile soil when this occurred. In mythology the two dogs are sometimes
depicted as Laelaps (Canis Major), an extremely fast dog, and an equally
fast fox. The dog was sent to hunt the fox but, after a long chase with
no apparent end, Zeus turned them both to stone and placed them in the sky.
I like to look at the dogs and their westerly neighbours, Orion and
Lepus the Hare, in a more modern sense. The mighty demigod Orion becomes
everyone’s favourite hunter, Elmer Fudd, with that wascawwy wabbit
bugging him below his feet. Although not related directly to Bugs Bunny
cartoons, the big and little dogs become Spike and Chester. Just as
Chester would bounce around in front of his hero bulldog Spike, Canis
Minor bounces up before Canis Major.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 8:00 am and sunset will occur at
4:52 pm, giving 8 hours, 52 minutes of daylight (8:03 am and 5:00 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:57 am and set at 5:01
pm, giving 9 hours, 4 minutes of daylight (7:59 am and 5:09 pm in Saint
John).
The Moon is new on Saturday, making a great weekend to look for faint
star clusters and Comet Catalina. The Moon will provide great evening
views in a telescope during the latter half of the week as it approaches
first quarter phase next Saturday. For a binocular challenge Sunday,
look for Mercury a few degrees above the WSW horizon a half hour after
sunset, and try to pick out the extra slim crescent Moon a few degrees
above it. Mercury is at inferior conjunction on Thursday.
The highlight of the week occurs Saturday morning (January 9) when
Saturn and Venus are less than a Moon-width apart. Jupiter rises by 10
pm late in the week and still provides good viewing for morning people.
Watch for the daily changing positions of its four large moons with
binoculars; they will look like faint stars on either side of the
planet. Orange Mars continues to pull away eastward of Spica. By Friday
Comet Catalina will be above the end of the handle of the Big Dipper.
The William Brydone Jack Astronomy Club in Fredericton meets on Tuesday
at 7pm in Room 203 of the UNB Forestry/Earth Sciences Building. RASC NB,
the provincial astronomy club, meets on January 16 at 1 pm in the Saint
John Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
DRONE JAN 7 2016 GEORGES BRUN (5)
