** A note from Kerry Lee Morris-Cormier, manager of the Johnson's Mills
Interpretive Centre: the shorebird interpreters report the arrival of migratory
shorebirds. A flock of approximately 400 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS [Bécasseau
semipalmé] have been visible from the observation deck at the Interpretive
Centre this week. The numbers will likely increase into the 1000's by this
weekend, just in time for the 16th annual Dorchester Sandpiper Festival. For the
schedule of events, visit www.dorchester.ca Some highlights include a
tour van departing from the village square for the Johnson's Mills Shorebird
Interpretive Centre every 30 minutes, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Saturday; a skit,
"Peregrine Planes," written and starring the Nature Conservancy of Canada's
interpreters in the village square at 1:30 pm on Saturday; a shorebird
sculpturing with Mark Pitcher; a kids craft in the Interpretation Centre at 2724
Rte 935 from 10:00 to 1:00 on Sunday. High tide is late afternoon this week
which is the best time to see shorebirds. The staff asks that people stay off
the beach at high tide so as not to disturb them. The phone number at the
Interpretive Centre for information is (506) 379-6347.
** A RUFF [Combattant varié] has appeared with shorebirds, especially in
company of YELLOWLEGS [Chevaliers] at the Amherst Water Treatment ponds located
just past the border and the Nova Scotia tourist bureau in Nova Scotia. Alain
Clavette found this bird there first. Many have gotten to see this uncommon to us
shorebird after Alain's rport.
** Mike Britton shares some of the shorebird action from their Nova Scotia
cottage of YELLOWLEGS [Chevaliers] and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS [Bécassin roux]
as well as a posing SPOTTED SANDPIPER [Chevalier grivelé] adult. Mike also got a
nice photo of a SWAMP SPARROW still in full song.
** Aldo Dorio got some photos of a male and female BELTED KINGFISHER
[Martin-pêcheur d'Amérique] on Tuesday. This species seems to be a hard bird to
get good photos of. Aldo's yard EASTERN BLUEBIRD [Merlebleu de l'Est] nestlings
are also beginning to look out of the nest hole and appear to be ready to fledge
very soon.
** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this transcription, courtesy of
Curt Nason.
This Week’s
Sky at a Glance, July 23 – July 30
Arrows are used in signs as pointers to direct us to notable sites or
venues. As the Summer Triangle of the bright stars Vega, Deneb and
Altair rise high in late evening, the tiny constellation of Sagitta the
Arrow can direct us to a few interesting binocular objects. Sagitta is a
compact arrow situated halfway between Altair and Albireo, which form
the heads of Aquila the Eagle and Cygnus the Swan. Albireo itself is an
interesting binocular object, being revealed as two colourful stars.
Under the shaft of the arrow you might notice a hazy patch of stars
called M71, which is a globular cluster containing more than 10,000
stars. As globular clusters go it is younger than most and relatively
small. Half a binocular field above the arrowhead is ghostly M27, the
Dumbbell Nebula. This is a planetary nebula, gases emitted from a
Sun-sized star as its nuclear fuel was running out. The star collapsed
into a hot, dense Earth-sized star called a white dwarf, and the
ultraviolet radiation emitted from it causes the gases to glow. In older
photographs of M27 its bipolar shape resembled a dumbbell. About a
binocular width to the upper right of the arrow’s feathers is an
asterism of about ten stars shaped like a coat hanger, a favourite treat
for closet astronomers.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:52 am and sunset will occur at
8:59 pm, giving 15 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (5:59 am and 9:01 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:00 am and set at 8:51
pm, giving 14 hours, 51 minutes of daylight (6:07 am and 8:53 pm in
Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Tuesday, rising just after midnight and
setting at 1:30 pm. Around 1:15 am on Saturday, July 23, the waning
gibbous Moon occults Neptune, with the planet reappearing from behind
the dark lunar limb about an hour later. Even with a good telescope it
will be difficult to see Neptune in the glare of the Moon’s sunlit limb,
but you will have a better chance when Neptune reappears. Don’t be
misled by a fairly bright star which skims across the top of the Moon.
Jupiter is low in the west at twilight’s end and sets before 11 pm early
in the week. Saturn is due south soon after sunset with Antares 7
degrees below it and brighter Mars less than 15 degrees to their right.
Mercury can be spotted with binoculars 5 degrees upper left of Venus,
with Venus setting 45 minutes after sunset.
The RASC NB star party at Mount Carleton Provincial Park is next
weekend, July 29-31. This is an excellent opportunity to see nebulae,
galaxies and other normally faint objects through large telescopes under
the darkest sky in the province.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Arrows are used in signs as pointers to direct us to notable sites or
venues. As the Summer Triangle of the bright stars Vega, Deneb and
Altair rise high in late evening, the tiny constellation of Sagitta the
Arrow can direct us to a few interesting binocular objects. Sagitta is a
compact arrow situated halfway between Altair and Albireo, which form
the heads of Aquila the Eagle and Cygnus the Swan. Albireo itself is an
interesting binocular object, being revealed as two colourful stars.
Under the shaft of the arrow you might notice a hazy patch of stars
called M71, which is a globular cluster containing more than 10,000
stars. As globular clusters go it is younger than most and relatively
small. Half a binocular field above the arrowhead is ghostly M27, the
Dumbbell Nebula. This is a planetary nebula, gases emitted from a
Sun-sized star as its nuclear fuel was running out. The star collapsed
into a hot, dense Earth-sized star called a white dwarf, and the
ultraviolet radiation emitted from it causes the gases to glow. In older
photographs of M27 its bipolar shape resembled a dumbbell. About a
binocular width to the upper right of the arrow’s feathers is an
asterism of about ten stars shaped like a coat hanger, a favourite treat
for closet astronomers.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:52 am and sunset will occur at
8:59 pm, giving 15 hours, 7 minutes of daylight (5:59 am and 9:01 pm in
Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 6:00 am and set at 8:51
pm, giving 14 hours, 51 minutes of daylight (6:07 am and 8:53 pm in
Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Tuesday, rising just after midnight and
setting at 1:30 pm. Around 1:15 am on Saturday, July 23, the waning
gibbous Moon occults Neptune, with the planet reappearing from behind
the dark lunar limb about an hour later. Even with a good telescope it
will be difficult to see Neptune in the glare of the Moon’s sunlit limb,
but you will have a better chance when Neptune reappears. Don’t be
misled by a fairly bright star which skims across the top of the Moon.
Jupiter is low in the west at twilight’s end and sets before 11 pm early
in the week. Saturn is due south soon after sunset with Antares 7
degrees below it and brighter Mars less than 15 degrees to their right.
Mercury can be spotted with binoculars 5 degrees upper left of Venus,
with Venus setting 45 minutes after sunset.
The RASC NB star party at Mount Carleton Provincial Park is next
weekend, July 29-31. This is an excellent opportunity to see nebulae,
galaxies and other normally faint objects through large telescopes under
the darkest sky in the province.
Questions? Contact me at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
Arrow
BELTED KINGFISHER( FEMALE).JULY 21, 2016.ALDO DORIO
BELTED KINGFISHER( MALE).JULY 21, 2016.ALDO DORIO
EASTERN BLUEBIRD NESTLING.JULY 21, 2016.ALDO DORIO
RUFF (ON LEFT).JULY 20, 2016.ALAIN CLAVETTE
Shorebirds. July 16, 2016. Michael Britton
Spotted Sandpiper (ADULT). July 17, 2016. Michael Britton
Swamp Sparrow. July 18, 2016. Michael Britton
