NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, January 26, 2018 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca if any errors are noted in wording or
photo labeling.
For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com
For more information on Nature Moncton, check into the website at www.naturemoncton.com
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
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your message to the information line editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca.
** Gordon Rattray made a re-run for the
GOLDEN-CROWNED
SPARROW [Bruant à couronne dorée] on Thursday and was successful finding
it at home in Sybil Wentzell’s yard. He
also got a RUSTY
BLACKBIRD [Quiscale rouilleux] at
John Inman’s. Gordon crossed the Shepody
Marsh to get a light-morphed ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK [Buse pattue] in flight. Note those large hockey puck marks at the
carpel joint in one photo.
** Daryl Doucette was travelling on the
Shediac Rd. on Thursday to note 15 to 20 WHITE-TAILED DEER [Cerf de
Virginie] in
a field with all heads down foraging on the bare ground. He said they looked very healthy, with very
dark coats and appeared plump.
** Jamie Burris’ female MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] made a repeat visit to his Riverview
yard on Thursday morning to check out the patrons. It surely has that look in its eye. Jamie
just reported it made a repeat check Friday morning looking for fuel for the
day.
** Patricia Muirhead in Anagance is
having a few species join her regular bird feeder patrons that not many others
seem to be getting as patrons. She gets GRAY JAYS [Mésangeai du
Canada] everyday
coming to her yard. They’ll look in her
window until she gets up and puts out some bread for them. They’ll take it from her hand as Gray Jays
can quickly learn to do. She also has EVENING GROSBEAKS
[Gros-bec errant] coming
which seem to be very uncommon this year.
With that action, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK [Épervier brun] is attracted.
** Catherine Hamilton visited last week
to share a photo of a GRAY JAY [Mésangeai du Canada]; however, the arrival of a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
[Épervier brun],
which she photographed as well, stopped the bird photography.
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is added
to this edition, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January
27 – February 3
Monoceros is a constellation that is easy to locate, sandwiched between
Orion’s dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor, but it is not easy to see.
From urban areas its dim stars are as elusive as the unicorn they
depict. It was one of eight new constellations created on a globe by the
Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius around 1612. Of those eight, only
Monoceros and Camelopardalis are recognized as official constellations
today. Monoceros is situated within the winter Milky Way, which is
apparent in rural skies.
Despite being a dim constellation, Monoceros is home to some favourite
targets of astrophotographers, in particular the beautiful Rosette
Nebula. Another is the combination of the Cone Nebula, Christmas Tree
Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. Check the Internet for their stunning
images. Monoceros has one Messier object within its boundary, the large
open cluster M50, otherwise known as the Heart-Shaped Cluster. It can be
seen in binoculars about 40% of the distance from Sirius to Procyon.
Three other open clusters on the Messier list are found near Monoceros
but lie officially within other constellations. They are the close pair
of M46 and M47 in Puppis, and M48 in Hydra.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:47 am and sunset will occur at
5:17 pm, giving 9 hours, 30 minutes of daylight (7:50 am and 5:24 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:39 am and set at 5:27
pm, giving 9 hours, 48 minutes of daylight (7:42 am and 5:34 pm in Saint
John).
The Moon is full on Wednesday morning, and just after it sets for most
of New Brunswick it enters Earth’s shadow for the beginning of a total
eclipse. If we are lucky and dedicated, we might catch the subtle gray
shading of the penumbra on the Moon when it is near the horizon. It
won’t look blue just because it is full for the second time this month;
it should look orange for those west of us who get to see the total
eclipse; and, if it looks super huge Wednesday morning, it always does
when it is near the horizon thanks to an optical illusion. Jupiter and
Mars are well-placed in the south for morning observing, while Saturn
can be found far to their lower left above the lid of the Sagittarius
Teapot asterism.
EOS Eco-Energy Inc. in Sackville is hosting a presentation on light
pollution and astronomy, entitled De-Lighting the Night Sky, on January
27 from 4 to 6 pm at Open Sky (12 Folkins Drive). The Saint John
Astronomy Club meets on February 3 at 7 pm in the Rockwood Park
Interpretation Centre.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Monoceros is a constellation that is easy to locate, sandwiched between
Orion’s dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor, but it is not easy to see.
From urban areas its dim stars are as elusive as the unicorn they
depict. It was one of eight new constellations created on a globe by the
Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius around 1612. Of those eight, only
Monoceros and Camelopardalis are recognized as official constellations
today. Monoceros is situated within the winter Milky Way, which is
apparent in rural skies.
Despite being a dim constellation, Monoceros is home to some favourite
targets of astrophotographers, in particular the beautiful Rosette
Nebula. Another is the combination of the Cone Nebula, Christmas Tree
Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. Check the Internet for their stunning
images. Monoceros has one Messier object within its boundary, the large
open cluster M50, otherwise known as the Heart-Shaped Cluster. It can be
seen in binoculars about 40% of the distance from Sirius to Procyon.
Three other open clusters on the Messier list are found near Monoceros
but lie officially within other constellations. They are the close pair
of M46 and M47 in Puppis, and M48 in Hydra.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:47 am and sunset will occur at
5:17 pm, giving 9 hours, 30 minutes of daylight (7:50 am and 5:24 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:39 am and set at 5:27
pm, giving 9 hours, 48 minutes of daylight (7:42 am and 5:34 pm in Saint
John).
The Moon is full on Wednesday morning, and just after it sets for most
of New Brunswick it enters Earth’s shadow for the beginning of a total
eclipse. If we are lucky and dedicated, we might catch the subtle gray
shading of the penumbra on the Moon when it is near the horizon. It
won’t look blue just because it is full for the second time this month;
it should look orange for those west of us who get to see the total
eclipse; and, if it looks super huge Wednesday morning, it always does
when it is near the horizon thanks to an optical illusion. Jupiter and
Mars are well-placed in the south for morning observing, while Saturn
can be found far to their lower left above the lid of the Sagittarius
Teapot asterism.
EOS Eco-Energy Inc. in Sackville is hosting a presentation on light
pollution and astronomy, entitled De-Lighting the Night Sky, on January
27 from 4 to 6 pm at Open Sky (12 Folkins Drive). The Saint John
Astronomy Club meets on February 3 at 7 pm in the Rockwood Park
Interpretation Centre.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Nelson
Poirier,
Nature Moncton
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. JAN 25, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
MERLIN.JAN 25, 2018. JAMIE BURRIS
Monoceros
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. JAN 25, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. JAN 25, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
RUSTY BLACKBIRD. JAN 25, 2018. GORDON RATTRAY
GRAY JAY.JAN 22, 2018.CATHERINE HAMILTON
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK.JAN 22, 2018.CATHERINE HAMILTON
