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Editor: Nelson Poirier    Proofreader: Louise Nichols

Friday 24 January 2020

Jan 24 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, January 24, 2019 (Friday)

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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** The CAROLINA WREN [Troglodyte de Caroline] pair are still making the rounds of the Court St. area of Riverview, and seem to swelling their feeder yard site visits.  Jim Carroll made a pilgrimage to the area on Thursday and was able to locate one to get a nice photo and an audio recording of its sound.  That wren cocked tail and huge bill (for the size of the bird) show nicely in Jim’s photos.  It may be the female as the vocalization is not boisterous.  Jim adds a comment too good not to share:  “It was a great day adventure and who needs a tropical vacation when you can have this much fun in New Brunswick.”  Check out Jim’s recording at the attached site.


** Again to announce an impromptu field trip that is not on the website and it’s looking like a great winter day to be out.  An impromptu birding field trip is coming up tomorrow, Saturday, January 25th.  As a follow-up to the Nature Moncton workshop two Saturdays ago when the weather did not permit the outing that was planned that afternoon, Roger Leblanc said he would offer an outing when Mother Nature would cooperate better.  That surely was not last weekend, but tomorrow, January 25th, is looking good, so he will follow up by offering a morning outing from 9:00 to 12:00 in the Moncton region.  We can meet at the parking lot behind Chateau Moncton at the walking bridge, and from there we’ll explore a couple of spots in the city concentrating on bird identification.  In the afternoon, Roger has to do a BARROW'S GOLDENEYE [Garrot d'Islande] (sea duck) survey in the context of a Nature NB project, so we’ll head off to Cocagne and Caissie Cape area to do that.  If you are interested, you’re more than welcome to join for that also.  Just come if you’d like and, as always, all are welcome, Nature Moncton members or not.

Roger billed this as a learning-to-bird event.  However, several of us supposedly experienced birders attended the workshop and found lots of new tidbits to use.  Although Roger stressed the Barrow’s Goldeneye in the afternoon, there’s a big variety of sea ducks that travel with them to peruse.  A pleasant day with sun and moderate temperatures predicted are ideal winter conditions.  The whole day is going to be worthwhile, but if one is unable to attend both, join the group for one or the other.  The meeting place for the Moncton start is at the Chateau Moncton.  If anyone wishes to go for the afternoon, meet also at the Chateau Moncton at 12:30 PM to head up the coast.  Carpooling for either trip is indicated.  A contact number for the day will be 852-0863. 

** It’s Friday, and this week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this edition courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.   Predictions are looking like we may have some clear night skies ahead.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance.  January 25 – January 31, 2020

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 they 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 7:49 am and sunset will occur at 5:13 pm, giving 9 hours, 24 minutes of daylight (7:52 am and 5:20 pm in Saint John).  Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:42 am and set at 5:23 pm, giving 9 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (7:45 am and 5:30 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is new on Friday, January 24, and it is at first quarter on February 1. On Monday and Tuesday it makes an eye-catching pairing below and then to the left of Venus. Also on Monday, just after twilight, a telescope or steadily-held binoculars might reveal Neptune very close to the lower right of Venus. Mercury sets around 6:30 pm midweek, an hour and a half before Venus. In the morning sky, Mars hangs out to the left of Antares in the southeast, while Jupiter makes its presence known a hand span to the lower left of Mars. Saturn rises in twilight about 40 minutes before sunrise.

RASC NB members are offering public observing at the Moncton High School observatory on January 24 from 6:30 to 8 pm; and at the Mactaquac Park office, across the road from the park entrance, from 7 to 9 pm on Saturday, January 25. The Saint John Astronomy Club meets in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre on February 1 at 7 pm. All are welcome.

Questions? Contact Curt Nason at
nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.


nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton

CAROLINA WREN. JANUARY 23, 2020. JIM CARROLL

CAROLINA WREN. JANUARY 23, 2020. JIM CARROLL

Monoceros 2020