Nature Moncton Nature News: June 2 2023

NATURE MONCTON NATURE NEWS

June 2, 2023

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Edited by Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Proofreading courtesy of Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca

**Louise Nichols spent some time exploring the bog on their property in Aulac on Thursday afternoon, grateful for the cool southwest breeze coming from the Cumberland Basin and preventing conditions from heating up as much as they did in Moncton and other areas. Louise photographed a number of bog plants, including Three-leaved Solomon Seal which forms a carpet over the bog at this time of year. She also photographed two different species of Cottongrass, Leatherleaf, Sundew (with a caught insect), Bog Laurel, and Haircap Moss. The nicest find of the day was a Bog Elfin Butterfly which was not in the bog but on a dry trail. This was the first time Louise has seen a Bog Elfin, and she was surprised at how tiny it was.

** According to Merlin Bird app, Jane LeBlanc in St. Martins may have photographed a Nashville warbler Thursday morning while riding her bike early near her home. She only got one quick shot before it was gone, so the quality is not great (Jane's comment).

Others enjoying the apple blossoms were many Cedar Waxwings, Northern Parula Warblers, Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and probably others she missed.

(Editor’s note: apple blossoms are very high on the menu of Cedar Waxwings at this time of year, as they consume the petals.)

**Aldo Dorio comments that there are 4 families of Canada Geese on Hay Island at the moment, which will make for a crowded scenario as the goslings will grow rapidly.

**Bob Blake in Second North River maintains daily weather statistics of morning temperatures, daily high temperatures, and monthly precipitation.

Bob sends a table comparing May of 2023 with May 2022. It is notable how similar the two months were when comparing temperatures and monthly precipitation.

Bob’s table as he forwards it is attached below:

2022

2023

morning temperatures

daily highs and rainfall

morning temperatures

daily highs and rainfall

+19-1 day

+18-1

+17-3

+16-3

+15-3

+14-1

+13-2

+12-3

+11-1

+10-1

+9-1

+8-2

+7-2

+6-2

+5-2

+4-2

+2-1

+31-1

+29-1

+28-1

+26-2

+24-5

+23-1

+22-4

+21-2

+19-3

81 mms. rain

+20-1

+16-4

+15-1

+14-1

+12-3

+11-1

+10-4

+9-5

+8-3

+6-6

+5-1

+4-1

+32-1

+31-1

+27-2

+26-1

+24-4

+22-1

+21-1

+20-5

+19-1

78 mms. rain

**It’s Friday and the day to review what next week’s night sky may have in store for us on clear nights courtesy of our sky guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2023, June 3 – June 10
Asteroids, like comets, are solar system objects that some amateur astronomers like to collect; that is, identify them at least once with binoculars or a telescope. They are not as interesting to see as comets are, being just points of light, but they are often more challenging to identify. If you are lucky, one might be near an easily identifiable star or group of stars, and if you are even luckier, you might be able to detect its movement relative to a star over an evening.

The first asteroid was discovered on January 1, 1801, and Ceres was initially called a planet once its orbit was calculated. In the 18th century, a mathematical progression known as the Titius-Bode Law was formulated, which fit the distances of the six known planets from the Sun. Uranus was discovered in 1781, and its distance fit that formula, but there was an inexplicable gap between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres filled that gap nicely, but over that decade, three more new “planets” were found within the gap.

Ceres is by far the largest asteroid, and it is now categorized as a dwarf planet along with distant Pluto, Eris, Makemake, and Haumea. It is currently the brightest asteroid, and it can be seen within a binocular view of Denebola, the tail star of Leo the Lion. However, you will likely have difficulty distinguishing it from the stars. The Heavens-Above website has an Asteroids section that includes two maps for each of the brighter asteroids; one with a wide-field view of the constellations in the area, and an expanded inset with a binocular-size view showing the asteroid among the nearby stars.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:30 am, and sunset will occur at 9:04 pm, giving 15 hours, and 34 minutes of daylight (5:38 am and 9:06 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday, the Sun will rise at 5:28 am and set at 9:09 pm, giving 15 hours, and 41 minutes of daylight (5:36 am and 9:11 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is full just past midnight this Saturday/Sunday, passing near Saturn next Friday morning and reaching third quarter phase next Saturday. Mars is within a binocular view to the east of the Beehive star cluster this weekend. Venus is at its greatest elongation from the Sun on Sunday, setting after midnight all week. Mercury rises around 4:40 midweek, brightening enough over the next two weeks to possibly be seen with binoculars in the twilight. Rising an hour before Mercury, Jupiter is much easier to locate.

On Sunday evening at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay.

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