NATURE
MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, October 12, 2018 (Friday)
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photo labeling.
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Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca
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** Leon
Gagnon has had a few special visitors around his Wilson’s Point summer home on
Miscou Island. He saw his first NORTHERN SHRIKE
[Pie-grièche grise] of the season on October 8th – always a
treat to welcome the first Northern Shrike arriving for their winter stay with
us. On the same day, a GREAT HORNED OWL
[Grand-duc d'Amérique] posed near his
summer place for a photo. Note the
abundant cone crop in the tree above the owl.
Hopefully, this is generalized to welcome our winter cone connoisseurs
to the tree top buffets.
** Brian Coyle did hikes into woods near his Upper
Mountain Rd. home on Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday, he noted that the BUMBLEBEES [Abeilles] had diminished
significantly from a week earlier, but still did see a few foraging and got
close-up photos that appear like two different species. One Bumblebee seemed to favour visiting the
Red Clover heads, some of which were still in prime, while the other seemed to
favour visits specifically to Mouse-eared Hawkweed. Brian was scolded loudly by a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET which was not
amused with being photographed. Note that extended eye ring of this species.
** This week’s Sky-at-a-Glance is included in this
edition, courtesy of sky-guru Curt Nason.
It’s calling for clear nights on the weekend, so may be a good chance to
look for some of the items Curt mentions.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance,
October 13 – October 20
The Pleiades star cluster, which is located in the shoulder of Taurus the Bull, is rising before 8 pm now as a harbinger of winter. In a month it will be rising at sunset. Due to its shape, this eye-catching cluster has been mistaken for the Little Dipper by many people. Most of us can count six stars in the Pleiades under good conditions but keen-eyed wonders have picked out twice that number from a dark sky. A low power view of it in binoculars will show a couple of dozen stars and it is one of the prettiest sights you will see in the night sky. I always look for the hockey stick in the binocular view.
The name Pleiades likely comes from the Greek word “plein,” which means “to sail” (Wikipedia). Sailing season in the Mediterranean Sea typically began when the cluster was first spotted before sunrise. In mythology it became the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione, hence its common name of the Seven Sisters. Somewhere along the way one of them got lost. Astronomers also know it as M45 from the Messier catalogue. The cluster played a significant role in marking time for several ancient cultures, including the Maori, Mayan, Aztec and some First Nations.
Perhaps you have seen the Pleiades while stuck in traffic and just haven’t realized it. The six-star logo of Subaru automobiles depicts the Pleiades, as Subaru is the Japanese name for the cluster. The name, which means “united,” was chosen because the company was formed from a merger of several.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:33 am and sunset will occur at 6:36 pm, giving 11 hours, 3 minutes of daylight (7:37 am and 6:42 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:43 am and set at 6:24 pm, giving 10 hours, 41 minutes of daylight (7:46 am and 6:30 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at first quarter on Tuesday, making for great lunar observing throughout the week. Although Venus is still heading sunward, its position below the ecliptic has it setting before the Sun. Mercury sets a half hour after sunset, followed by Jupiter an hour later. Saturn and Mars are well placed for evening observing. With the steep angle of the ecliptic on Moonless autumn mornings, stargazers in rural areas might notice the subtle pyramid of the zodiacal light angling up from the eastern horizon.
Fredericton RASC and astronomy club members are celebrating Fall Astronomy Day this Saturday evening with public observing at Regent Mall near Chapters (7 to 9 pm), and UNB Fredericton is hosting public observing at the Physics building next Saturday (8 to 9:30 pm) for International Observe the Moon Night. RASC NB is giving Moon-related talks next Saturday (11 am to 4:30 pm) at Moncton High School followed by evening observing (7:30 pm) at the high school observatory. All are welcome.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason at nasonc@nbnet.nb.ca.
Pleaides photo attached is by RASC NB member Paul Owen.
nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com
Nelson Poirier,
Nature Moncton
BUMBLE BEE ON RED CLOVER. OCTOBER 6, 2018. BRIAN COYLE
BUMBLE BEE ON RED CLOVER. OCTOBER 6, 2018. BRIAN COYLE
GREAT-HORNED OWL. OCT 8, 2018. LEON GAGNON
m45.PAUL OWEN PHOTO
RED CLOVER OCTOBER 6, 2018. BRIAN COYLE
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. OCTOBER 5, 2018. BRIAN COYLE
