NATURE MONCTON'S NATURE LINE, December 9, 2016 (Friday)
Please advise editor at nelson@nb.sympatico.ca. if any errors
are noted in wording or photo labelling.
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Edited by : Nelson Poirier nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)
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editor nelson@nb.sympatico.ca
** Ray Gauvin has a very bright PINE WARBLER [Paruline des pins] visiting
his Parlee Beach feeder. I also have one, but it sure pales in comparison to
Ray's visitor. Ray also got a close-up of a female HAIRY WOODPECKER [Pic
chevelu], commenting that lately, he's getting more Hairy Woodpeckers than
Downey Woodpeckers. Ray also shares a photo of a GREY SEAL [Phoque gris],
frontal view, he got a few years ago to show the horse head profile and the
wide nostrils that form a parallel pattern.
** In contrast to that, Aldo Dorio contributes a seal photo on Friday that
shows that dip in the forehead to give it a Spaniel look and blunt, slightly
upturned nose to suggest it to be a HARBOUR SEAL [Phoque commun].
** John Filliter got a real birds-eye view of an immature BALD EAGLE
[Pygargue à tête blanche] that perched in a neighbour's yard Spruce Tree summit
near his Cap Brulé home on Thursday.
** I'm going to re-run the Sunday morning raptor event as the Saturday
edition of the Information Line often gets out late. With the recent surge of
raptors on the Tantramar Marsh, Louise Nichols and Roger Leblanc have arranged
for a very interesting survey to take place on Sunday morning. This is an
excellent chance for folks who want to hone up their raptor identification
skills to be paired with an experienced birder as well as for those familiar
with raptors but who continue to enjoy every one they see. There's always the
possibility of a Golden Eagle and Snowy Owls also. Again, the write-up for that
event is attached below.
Raptor Count on the Tantramar
As a
follow-up to Roger Leblanc's recent report on the large number of raptors he saw
on the Tantramar Marsh, we would like to organize a count of raptors this
weekend on the Tantramar. We will meet in the parking lot of the Sackville
Macdonald's (just after the 1st Sackville exit off the Trans Canada Hwy coming
from Moncton) at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning (Dec. 11). From there, we will drive
up to High Marsh Rd. and divide into teams in order to survey as much of the
marsh as possible for a period of about one hour. Roger Leblanc will be there
to supervise the activity. No need to be an expert at raptor ID because Roger
will place beginners with more experienced birders. If you are interested in
participating, please send an email to Louise Nichols at nicholsl@eastlink.ca.
Everyone is welcome, Nature Moncton member or not.
** This week's Sky-at-a-Glance is added to this edition, courtesy of Curt
Nason, and it's looking like we'll have a few clear nights to see things up
above.
This Week’s Sky at a
Glance, December 10 – December 17
The constellation of Taurus the Bull has completely cleared the eastern horizon soon after sunset this week. It is distinguished by two relatively close star clusters: the compact dipper-shaped Pleiades in the bull’s shoulder and the V-shaped Hyades that forms the bull’s face. The bright orange star Aldebaran anchors one side of the V, representing the bull’s fiery eye, but it is not actually part of the cluster. Both clusters are a delightful view in binoculars. In mythology the Pleiades (aka the Seven Sisters) and the Hyades were half-sisters; daughters of Atlas, who obviously didn’t spend all his time holding up the sky.
Starting from the apex of the Hyades, extend each side of the V outward to a star. These stars are the tips of the bull’s horns. The upper star is Alnath, which forms one of the corners of Auriga the Charioteer although it is officially part of Taurus. The other horn star has a famous dim neighbour, which is about one degree away and slightly to the right of a line joining the horns. Called the Crab Nebula or M1 for being the first entry in Charles Messier’s 18th century catalogue of false comets, this little fuzzy patch is a gaseous supernova remnant. The supernova, a death-explosion of a giant star, was seen in daylight for three weeks in 1054. I have seen M1 in a transparent sky with binoculars but a scope gives a better view.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:51 am and sunset will occur at 4:33 pm, giving 8 hours, 42 minutes of daylight (7:53 am and 4:42 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:56 am and set at 4:34 pm, giving 8 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (7:58 am and 4:43 pm in Saint John). Our earliest sunset of the year occurs early in the week.
The Moon is full on Tuesday. Being the full Moon closest to the Solstice it is called the Cold Moon or the Long Night’s Moon. On Monday evening, if you are up late calling owls, watch the Moon occult the bright star Aldebaran about a half hour after midnight. Bright moonlight could make it difficult to see the star so I recommend using binoculars or a scope.
Mercury is at its greatest elongation from the Sun in the evening sky on Sunday and well placed for viewing in twilight all week. Find it first with binoculars and then try to see it without them. Venus dominates the southwestern sky after sunset and moves to within 15 degrees of orange Mars by the end of the week. Jupiter dominates the morning sky in the southeast, standing above the bright star Spica and to the lower right of Arcturus. Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun this weekend. The highlight of the week could be the Geminid meteor shower, one of the two best of the year, which peaks on Tuesday evening. Gemini rises in the early evening, placing the shower’s radiant high in the east by late evening. Get comfortable and look toward a clear area of the sky away from the Moon.
The William Brydone Jack Astronomy Club meets in the Forestry / Earth Sciences building at UNB Fredericton on Tuesday, December 13 at 7 pm. All are welcome and it is free.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
The constellation of Taurus the Bull has completely cleared the eastern horizon soon after sunset this week. It is distinguished by two relatively close star clusters: the compact dipper-shaped Pleiades in the bull’s shoulder and the V-shaped Hyades that forms the bull’s face. The bright orange star Aldebaran anchors one side of the V, representing the bull’s fiery eye, but it is not actually part of the cluster. Both clusters are a delightful view in binoculars. In mythology the Pleiades (aka the Seven Sisters) and the Hyades were half-sisters; daughters of Atlas, who obviously didn’t spend all his time holding up the sky.
Starting from the apex of the Hyades, extend each side of the V outward to a star. These stars are the tips of the bull’s horns. The upper star is Alnath, which forms one of the corners of Auriga the Charioteer although it is officially part of Taurus. The other horn star has a famous dim neighbour, which is about one degree away and slightly to the right of a line joining the horns. Called the Crab Nebula or M1 for being the first entry in Charles Messier’s 18th century catalogue of false comets, this little fuzzy patch is a gaseous supernova remnant. The supernova, a death-explosion of a giant star, was seen in daylight for three weeks in 1054. I have seen M1 in a transparent sky with binoculars but a scope gives a better view.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:51 am and sunset will occur at 4:33 pm, giving 8 hours, 42 minutes of daylight (7:53 am and 4:42 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:56 am and set at 4:34 pm, giving 8 hours, 38 minutes of daylight (7:58 am and 4:43 pm in Saint John). Our earliest sunset of the year occurs early in the week.
The Moon is full on Tuesday. Being the full Moon closest to the Solstice it is called the Cold Moon or the Long Night’s Moon. On Monday evening, if you are up late calling owls, watch the Moon occult the bright star Aldebaran about a half hour after midnight. Bright moonlight could make it difficult to see the star so I recommend using binoculars or a scope.
Mercury is at its greatest elongation from the Sun in the evening sky on Sunday and well placed for viewing in twilight all week. Find it first with binoculars and then try to see it without them. Venus dominates the southwestern sky after sunset and moves to within 15 degrees of orange Mars by the end of the week. Jupiter dominates the morning sky in the southeast, standing above the bright star Spica and to the lower right of Arcturus. Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun this weekend. The highlight of the week could be the Geminid meteor shower, one of the two best of the year, which peaks on Tuesday evening. Gemini rises in the early evening, placing the shower’s radiant high in the east by late evening. Get comfortable and look toward a clear area of the sky away from the Moon.
The William Brydone Jack Astronomy Club meets in the Forestry / Earth Sciences building at UNB Fredericton on Tuesday, December 13 at 7 pm. All are welcome and it is free.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
BALD EAGLE (JUVENILE).DEC 8 2016.JOHN FILLITER
GREY SEAL.APRIL 13, 2013.RAY GAUVIN
HAIRY WOODPECKER (FEMALE) DEC 8, 2016.RAY GAUVIN
HARBOUR SEAL.DEC 8, 2016.ALDO DORIO
PINE WARBLER AND BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE. DEC 8, 2016.RAY GAUVIN
PINE WARBLER. DEC 8, 2016.RAY GAUVIN
Taurus_M1
