NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September 22, 2017 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
To respond by e-mail, please address
your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.
** Jean-Paul LeBlanc was in Quebec
last week and photographed a black morph GRAY
SQUIRREL [Ecureuil gris]. In some
areas, the black morph of this squirrel can be surprisingly abundant; I do not
recall seeing one in New Brunswick, but I expect some are present, probably in
the Fredericton area where Gray Squirrels are more abundant.
** Brian Stone visited Mapleton Park
on Thursday to capture some nature photography.
The WOOLLY ALDER APHID colonies on Alder are now becoming quite
prevalent. One photo does show a few of
the aphids under their waxy protective cover.
He came across a scenario where a caterpillar tried to cross water and
was met with seemingly predatory water striders and fish. The fish appear to be SHINERS. Brian got a video of the ensuing action. Take a look at the attached link to see what
went on. https://www.dropbox.com/s/oa8m0viy3l4blra/Water%20Striders%2002.MOV?dl=0
If link does not open directly,copy and paste it into your browswer
Brian also photographed a TACHINID FLY, to get good photos of it. We have many species of this fly group in NB. Some photos of a new bridge at the park are
included, as well as a MALLARD [Canard colvert] in non-breeding plumage that sure
lacks the flash of its brilliant breeding plumage.
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is
included in this edition, courtesy of Curt Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance,
September 23 – September 30
Autumn has arrived, and dedicated stargazers are happy to have the
longer observing time afforded by earlier sunsets. The summer
constellations appear reluctant to move on, however; emerging from
twilight in nearly the same place each night because the earlier
darkness masks that they rise four minutes sooner each day. But move on
they do, and by mid-evening the two groups of autumn constellations lord
over us.
Perseus sits below W-shaped Cassiopeia in the northeast these evenings.
Cepheus, the king of ancient Ethiopia, is a house-shaped constellation
fenced within his wife Cassiopeia, Cygnus and the North Star. The feet
of Princess Andromeda are below the W of Cassiopeia, and her head is at
the tail end of Pegasus the winged horse. The asterism called the Great
Square of Pegasus rises as a large diamond, a harbinger of the baseball
post season. Rounding out the mythological tale is Cetus, playing the
role of a ferocious sea monster that is stoned, in a manner of speaking,
by Perseus in his rescue of Andromeda. Cetus is actually a whale, and
segues to the second group - the water constellations.
To the left of the Sagittarius Teapot we see the large chevron of
Capricornus the sea goat, representing the goat-boy flautist Pan who
didn’t completely morph into a fish when he tried to escape monstrous
Typhon. Above and left is the source of all this water - Aquarius, the
water bearing servant of the Olympians. Below him is the southern fish,
Piscis Austrinus, and further east we have Aphrodite and Eros as Pisces
the fishes. Cetus swims below them, and well above Capricornus we see
Delphinus the dolphin trying to leap back into summer.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:07 am and sunset will occur at
7:14 pm, giving 12 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (7:12 am and 7:19 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:16 am and set at 7:00
pm, giving 11 hours, 44 minutes of daylight (7:21 am and 7:06 pm in
Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Wednesday, making the week a great time
for lunar observing. Jupiter now sets less than an hour after sunset,
but Saturn hangs around until 11 pm and hangs out with the Moon on
Tuesday. Venus makes a move on Mars in the morning sky, while Mercury
slowly drops sunward.
RASC NB members will offer views of the night sky and the Sun at the
Kouchibouguac National Park Fall Festival on September 22 and 23. Visit
the website https://rascnb.ca/ for details. RASC NB members in Saint
John will be celebrating Fall Astronomy Day with public observing at the
Rockwood Park Bark Park (First Arch) on Friday, September 29, with a
cloud date of September 30.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Autumn has arrived, and dedicated stargazers are happy to have the
longer observing time afforded by earlier sunsets. The summer
constellations appear reluctant to move on, however; emerging from
twilight in nearly the same place each night because the earlier
darkness masks that they rise four minutes sooner each day. But move on
they do, and by mid-evening the two groups of autumn constellations lord
over us.
Perseus sits below W-shaped Cassiopeia in the northeast these evenings.
Cepheus, the king of ancient Ethiopia, is a house-shaped constellation
fenced within his wife Cassiopeia, Cygnus and the North Star. The feet
of Princess Andromeda are below the W of Cassiopeia, and her head is at
the tail end of Pegasus the winged horse. The asterism called the Great
Square of Pegasus rises as a large diamond, a harbinger of the baseball
post season. Rounding out the mythological tale is Cetus, playing the
role of a ferocious sea monster that is stoned, in a manner of speaking,
by Perseus in his rescue of Andromeda. Cetus is actually a whale, and
segues to the second group - the water constellations.
To the left of the Sagittarius Teapot we see the large chevron of
Capricornus the sea goat, representing the goat-boy flautist Pan who
didn’t completely morph into a fish when he tried to escape monstrous
Typhon. Above and left is the source of all this water - Aquarius, the
water bearing servant of the Olympians. Below him is the southern fish,
Piscis Austrinus, and further east we have Aphrodite and Eros as Pisces
the fishes. Cetus swims below them, and well above Capricornus we see
Delphinus the dolphin trying to leap back into summer.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:07 am and sunset will occur at
7:14 pm, giving 12 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (7:12 am and 7:19 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:16 am and set at 7:00
pm, giving 11 hours, 44 minutes of daylight (7:21 am and 7:06 pm in
Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Wednesday, making the week a great time
for lunar observing. Jupiter now sets less than an hour after sunset,
but Saturn hangs around until 11 pm and hangs out with the Moon on
Tuesday. Venus makes a move on Mars in the morning sky, while Mercury
slowly drops sunward.
RASC NB members will offer views of the night sky and the Sun at the
Kouchibouguac National Park Fall Festival on September 22 and 23. Visit
the website https://rascnb.ca/ for details. RASC NB members in Saint
John will be celebrating Fall Astronomy Day with public observing at the
Rockwood Park Bark Park (First Arch) on Friday, September 29, with a
cloud date of September 30.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
Autumn constellations
FISH (SHINER SUSPECTED). SEPT. 21, 2017. BRIAN STONE
GREY SQUIRREL (BLACK MORPH). SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, JP LEBLANC
MALLARD DUCK (MALE). SEPT. 21, 2017. BRIAN STONE
MAPLETON PARK NEW BRIDGE AND TRAIL. SEPT. 21, 2017. BRIAN STONE
TACHINID FLY SEPT. 21, 2017._ BRIAN STONE
TACHINID FLY SEPT. 21, 2017._ BRIAN STONE
WOOLLY ALDER APHIDS. SEPT. 21, 2017. BRIAN STONE
WOOLLY ALDER APHIDS. SEPT. 21, 2017. BRIAN STONE
WOOLLY ALDER APHIDS. SEPT. 21, 2017. BRIAN STONE
