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**New and
first-of-the-year red-bellied woodpeckers continue to come by birdfeeder yards in New
Brunswick.
On Thursday
morning at 9 AM Tony Thomas had a red-bellied woodpecker arrive at his suet-seed-insect
feeder block (Nashwaaksis). This is the first red-bellied woodpecker Tony has seen
in NB.
**Let’s hope
for clear skies on Saturday night to witness the Geminid meteor shower Curt
outlines below.
This
Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2025 December 13 – December 20
The year’s best meteor shower radiates from near the star Castor in Gemini
this weekend, with Saturday evening and Sunday morning being peak times. Under
ideal conditions the Geminids can average two shooting stars per minute, but
don’t expect to see anywhere near that number. With Gemini rising soon after an
early sunset and riding high just after midnight, convenient evening viewing is
rewarded more often than for the showers from Perseus and Leo, which rise much
later on their peak nights. The waning crescent Moon, rising around 2:30 am,
will not affect the viewing significantly.
The Geminids are relatively slow and easier to catch with the eye, and they
often have a golden glow. Dress very warmly, get comfortable in a reclining
position, face an unobstructed patch of sky away from artificial lighting, and
hope for a cloudless sky. Viewing on the days before and after could also be
worthwhile if the weather forecast isn’t promising for the peak times.
The parent “comet” for the Geminids is actually the asteroid 3200 Phaethon,
which was discovered in 1983. It orbits the Sun in a little more than 17
months, crossing the orbits of Mars, Earth, Venus and Mercury. At perihelion
its temperature can exceed 600 C, which can cause its carbon-water material to
break down and release the pebbles and dust particles that give us meteors when
they burn up in our atmosphere.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:53 and sunset will occur at 4:33, giving
8 hours, 40 minutes of daylight (7:55 and 4:41 in Saint John). Next Saturday
the Sun will rise at 7:58 and set at 4:35, giving 8 hours, 37 minutes of
daylight (8:00 and 4:43 in Saint John).
The Moon is near Spica on Sunday, it rises near Antares on Thursday and it
is new on Friday. Although Mercury is moving sunward it remains bright
enough for easy observing toward the southeast an hour before sunrise. This
weekend Saturn is at its best just after evening twilight, and Jupiter rises
around 7 pm. On Monday telescope users can see Jupiter’s moon Europa fade
into the planet’s shadow at 9:46, followed by Callisto 25 minutes later. Venus
and Mars are too close to the Sun for viewing. The highlight of the month
occurs this weekend when the Geminid meteor shower peaks.
Tune in to
the Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm on the YouTube channel and Facebook
page of Astronomy by the Bay.
Questions?
Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier
Nature Moncton
