NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, September13, 2019 (Friday)
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Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
** Anna Tucker took a photo of a EUROPEAN STARLING
[Étourneau sansonnet] young-of-the-year
in molt on August 8th that may make many of us take a second
look. Anna also includes a NORTHERN FLICKER [Pic
flamboyant] on
a lawn, something we can expect to see after ants more frequently now as the
season ends.
** Debbie Batog got a close-up photo of
a STINK BUG, an insect which we have several species of in New Brunswick. The stink bug is able to emit an odour of
pungent onions which is a strong deterring odour from their body glands that
they emit whenever they feel threatened or injured.
** Aldo Dorio got some photos of some
young-of-the-year CEDAR WAXWING [Jaseur d'Amérique] which were forming a late-season flock
of 20 individuals. An adult BROAD-WINGED HAWK [Petite
Buse] was
also cooperative for Aldo for a few photos.
Many Broad-winged Hawks are already in migration mode.
** Sherril Owen shared a photo of some
MONARCH BUTTERFLY [Monarque] chrysalids that had attached unto an eagle statue
in her Gatineau, Quebec yard. She has
been monitoring some of the activity on the Nature Moncton BlogSpot and getting
concerned that it took almost 3 weeks for the chrysalids to turn dark and
emerge, which is much longer than expected.
However, all is well that ends well.
On Thursday, one of the chrysalids turned very dark and an adult
emerged. And the one on the other side
of the photo looks like it is very close to emerging. I’m reattaching the photo Cheryl sent on
August 22nd for comparison.
Needless to say, Cheryl is a happy adoptive mother!
** Kathy Popma comments that
arrangements have changed with the DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT [Cormoran
à aigrettes] and
GREAT
BLUE HERON [Grand Héron] that
were using the dock at Silver Lake in Sackville. Yesterday’s photo was taken by Eva Leitners. She reports Thursday that the Great Blue
Heron has taken over sole ownership of the small dock with the cormorant
swimming back and forth in front of the dock, hoping for a chance to get back
on. However, the heron will have no part
of sharing it and patrols the edge like a guard on duty.
** I’m attaching more of Brian Stone’s
great birding day on Wednesday in the Dartmouth area. Two great gull photos include a LAUGHING GULL [Mouette
atricille] and
a LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL [Goéland brun] as well as an adult HERRING GULL [Goéland
argenté] with
two young-of-the-year birds. Some
shorebirds include some SANDERLINGS [Bécasseau sanderling] chasing the surf as they so often do,
and a WILLET
[Chevalier semipalmé].
** 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, 2019 September 14 – September 21
Two stellar crowns are included among the 88 official constellations. Both are above our horizon around 8 pm but one requires an unobstructed and near-pristine sky to the south. Both crowns arise from mythological tales of the popular demigod Dionysus (Bacchus in Roman mythology), the god of wine.
Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is a pretty semicircle of stars situated high in the west, one third of the way from Arcturus to Vega. In mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete. She helped Theseus slay the bull-headed Minotaur and escape from the Labyrinth, and then accompanied him and his crew on a voyage home to Athens where they were to wed. Along the way they stopped at the island home of Dionysus, who was a great and wily host. After a night of revelry Theseus was forced into leaving without Ariadne, and Dionysus presented her with a beautiful crown if she would be his bride. The crown was placed in the sky to commemorate their wedding.
The Sagittarius teapot asterism is low in the south at 9 pm this week, and Corona Australis, the Southern Crown, rides the horizon below. This semicircle of stars is sometimes called the lemon wedge asterism, to go with the teapot and the teaspoon above the teapot’s handle. Dionysus was the result of an affair between Zeus and a mortal woman. The gods had to be careful in such affairs as mortals could not withstand the full passionate heat of their embrace. Vengeful Hera, the wife of Zeus, tricked the now-pregnant woman into requesting Zeus hold her as he would a goddess, and as expected she did not survive. The unborn child was sewn into the thigh of Zeus and raised by his aunt after birth. Later, Dionysus honoured his mother by placing a wreath in the sky. Such a start in life would drive anyone to drink.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:55 am and sunset will occur at 7:33 pm, giving 12 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (7:01 am and 7:37 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:04 am and set at 7:19 pm, giving 12 hours, 15 minutes of daylight (7:09 am and 7:24 pm in Saint John).
The Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon nearest the autumn equinox, occurs at 1:33 am this Saturday so it will rise closest to full on Friday evening. Due to the shallow angle of the ecliptic at sunset this time of year, successive moonrises occur only 20-30 minutes later, making it seem like we have a full Moon several days in a row. Jupiter sets around 11 pm this week, followed by Saturn two hours later. Saturn is stationary on Wednesday, resuming its normal eastward motion relative to the stars. Telescope users might see Jupiter’s Red Spot between 9 and 10 pm on Thursday. Mercury, Venus and Mars are too close to the Sun for observing.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre this Saturday, and RASC NB meets in the UNB Fredericton Forestry-Earth Sciences building at 1 pm on September 21. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Two stellar crowns are included among the 88 official constellations. Both are above our horizon around 8 pm but one requires an unobstructed and near-pristine sky to the south. Both crowns arise from mythological tales of the popular demigod Dionysus (Bacchus in Roman mythology), the god of wine.
Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is a pretty semicircle of stars situated high in the west, one third of the way from Arcturus to Vega. In mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete. She helped Theseus slay the bull-headed Minotaur and escape from the Labyrinth, and then accompanied him and his crew on a voyage home to Athens where they were to wed. Along the way they stopped at the island home of Dionysus, who was a great and wily host. After a night of revelry Theseus was forced into leaving without Ariadne, and Dionysus presented her with a beautiful crown if she would be his bride. The crown was placed in the sky to commemorate their wedding.
The Sagittarius teapot asterism is low in the south at 9 pm this week, and Corona Australis, the Southern Crown, rides the horizon below. This semicircle of stars is sometimes called the lemon wedge asterism, to go with the teapot and the teaspoon above the teapot’s handle. Dionysus was the result of an affair between Zeus and a mortal woman. The gods had to be careful in such affairs as mortals could not withstand the full passionate heat of their embrace. Vengeful Hera, the wife of Zeus, tricked the now-pregnant woman into requesting Zeus hold her as he would a goddess, and as expected she did not survive. The unborn child was sewn into the thigh of Zeus and raised by his aunt after birth. Later, Dionysus honoured his mother by placing a wreath in the sky. Such a start in life would drive anyone to drink.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 6:55 am and sunset will occur at 7:33 pm, giving 12 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (7:01 am and 7:37 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:04 am and set at 7:19 pm, giving 12 hours, 15 minutes of daylight (7:09 am and 7:24 pm in Saint John).
The Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon nearest the autumn equinox, occurs at 1:33 am this Saturday so it will rise closest to full on Friday evening. Due to the shallow angle of the ecliptic at sunset this time of year, successive moonrises occur only 20-30 minutes later, making it seem like we have a full Moon several days in a row. Jupiter sets around 11 pm this week, followed by Saturn two hours later. Saturn is stationary on Wednesday, resuming its normal eastward motion relative to the stars. Telescope users might see Jupiter’s Red Spot between 9 and 10 pm on Thursday. Mercury, Venus and Mars are too close to the Sun for observing.
The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre this Saturday, and RASC NB meets in the UNB Fredericton Forestry-Earth Sciences building at 1 pm on September 21. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
BROAD-WINGED HAWK. SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
BROAD-WINGED HAWK. SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
CEDAR WAXWING (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR). SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
CEDAR WAXWING (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR). SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
Crowns 2019
EUROPEAN STARLING. (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR IN MOLT) AUG 8, 2019. ANNA TUCKER
EUROPEAN STARLING. (YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR IN MOLT) AUG 8, 2019. ANNA TUCKER
HERRING GULLS (ADULT AND YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR). SEPT. 12, 2019. BRIAN STONE
STINK BUG. SEPT 12, 2019. DEBBIE BATOG
LAUGHING GULL. SEPT. 12, 2019. BRIAN STONE
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. SEPT. 11, 2019 . BRIAN STONE
MONARCH BUTTERFLIES EMERGING. SEPT 12, 2019. SHERRIL OWEN
MONARCH BUTTERFLY CHRYSALIDS ON EAGLE STATUE. AUG 22, 2019.SHERRILL OWEN
NORTHERN FLICKER. AUG 2019. ANNA TUCKER
SANDERLINGS. SEPT. 11, 2019. BRIAN STONE
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (JUVENILE). SEPT. 11, 2019. BRIAN STONE
WHITE UNDERWING MOTH. SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
WILLET. SEPT. 11, 2019 . BRIAN STONE
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER AND CEDAR WAXWING. SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER. SEPT 12, 2019. ALDO DORIO
