Nature Moncton Nature News: July 10 2020

NATURE MONCTON INFORMATION LINE, July 10, 2020 (Friday)

To view the photos mentioned in this edition go to http://nminfoline.blogspot.ca

Please advise editor at nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com if any errors are noted in wording or photo labeling.

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Edited by: Nelson Poirier nelsonpoirier435@gmail.com

Transcript by: Louise Nichols nicholsl@eastlink.ca

Info Line # 506-384-6397 (384-NEWS)

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** John Massey spotted some activity I suspect that most of us have either not seen or overlooked. John got a video of Horsehair Worms (aka. Gordian Worms) doing their mission on a bush. It may be necessary to view the video a few times closely to see the nematode-like organisms waving about. Horsehair Worms (aka. Gordian Worms) are not injurious to humans, domestic animals or pets. The larvae encyst on vegetation, and when eaten by a grasshopper for example, invade the insect and become the nematode-like organism. They are referred to as parasitoid animals, superficially similar to nematode worms in morphology, hence the name “worm.” Brian Stone recognized them from photos and videos that he had seen online. He once had a grasshopper in a jar and one came out of it. Check out the link below to John’s video.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hq80vkv5r0nsx7s/John%20Massey%20-%20Horsehair%20Worm%20.mp4?dl=0

** Aldo Dorio got a video of a BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY [Papillon du céleri] at Malpec, near Tabusintac on Thursday. In this region, one has to watch for the differences between the Black Swallowtail and the Short-tailed Swallowtail Butterflies. Aldo’s photo shows the yellow in the central cell and the long tail to help identify it as a Black Swallowtail. Aldo also photographed a MERLIN [Faucon émerillon] expressing its opinion at Hay Island, possibly interested in the newly arrived advance guard of shorebirds.

** Brian Stone was out at dawn on Friday morning to get more views of the comet NEOWISE that is still visible with clear skies. Brian comments the comet seemed a bit dimmer Friday morning, but maybe it was just the atmospheric conditions, not sure. Photography of it was unsatisfactory (in Brian’s words). Need a good DSLR.

He also got the planet VENUS in the constellation of Taurus near the brightest star in Taurus, ALDEBARAN. Aldebaran is one of the stars in our system that glows orange.

** I have an AMERICAN KESTREL [Crécerelle d'Amérique] box on a utility pole near Sunny Corner. It has been occupied every year since it went up, but after several checks earlier in the spring, I felt it was not occupied this season. However, on Thursday, I spotted a female kestrel on a wire not far from the box, so went a bit nearer to check it out to be screamed at in no uncertain terms at the nest box which is indeed occupied. I got out of there!

** Another surprise just a few moments before was to see a TURKEY VULTURE [Urubu à tête rouge] perched over a compost area of fish entrails that had not been replenished in weeks. It was much more cooperative for a photo when the trail camera was there, but not interested in a photo with a person behind the camera.

** I have 18 TREE SWALLOW [Hirondelle bicolore] nest boxes up in the Miramichi area and was concerned that few were occupied this year when occupancy was 100% last year. But a round of them on Tuesday was very encouraging when I found most of them were indeed taken, but later than usual as we had several days of very cool weather. But I still suspect it is not 100% as it was last year.

** It’s Friday and time to review the coming week’s Sky-at-a-Glance courtesy of sky guru Curt Nason.

This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2020 July 11 – July 18
Galaxies are favourite targets for amateur astronomers and many are visible with just binoculars. Two are easily seen with the naked eye in the southern hemisphere: the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The Andromeda Galaxy is a naked-eye blur for rural New Brunswickers and it looks majestic in binoculars. But there is one galaxy that is spectacular regardless of your location or observing equipment, and that is our home galaxy.

The Milky Way is at least 110,000 light years across, and although it is composed of perhaps 400 billion stars we can distinguish only about 4000 as individual stars from a rural area. The Sun is 27,000 light years from the galactic core, within a spur between the inner Sagittarius and outer Perseus spiral arms. When we look above the spout of the Sagittarius Teapot asterism we are looking toward the galactic core, but vast clouds of dust hide the stars between the spiral arm and the core. South of the head of Cygnus the Swan we see the Milky Way split in two by the Great Rift, one of those dust clouds.

Star formation occurs in clouds of gas and dust within the spiral arms and some can be seen as bright patches with binoculars. Just above the spout of the Teapot is M8, the Lagoon Nebula; and a hint of M20, the Trifid Nebula, can be seen in the same field of view above. Scanning to the upper left up the Milky Way you encounter M17, the Swan (or Omega) Nebula; and star clusters M16 in the Eagle Nebula and M11, the Wild Duck Cluster. A tour of the Milky Way under a dark sky can keep a binocular stargazer engaged for an evening.

This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 5:39 am and sunset will occur at 9:09 pm, giving 15 hours, 30 minutes of daylight (5:47 am and 9:11 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 5:46 am and set at 9:04 pm, giving 15 hours, 18 minutes of daylight (5:54 am and 9:06 pm in Saint John).

The Moon is at third quarter Sunday, passing near Mars this Saturday and near Venus next Friday. Brilliant Venus is in the Hyades star cluster near Aldebaran this weekend, with Mercury far to its lower left rising 50 minutes before the Sun. Jupiter is at opposition on Tuesday, rising at sunset. Its moon Io emerges from the planet’s shadow at 10:27 pm Thursday, while the Red Spot might be seen in a telescope around 10 pm on Friday. Nearby, Saturn’s rings are open a generous 22 degrees for telescope viewers. Mars rises before 12:30 am this week, slowly appearing bigger and brighter as it moves toward a spectacular opposition in October. Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE is circumpolar this weekend, meaning it is far enough northward that it doesn’t set, and it moves from Auriga to the front paws of Ursa Major over the week. It has been seen with the naked eye and looks spectacular in binoculars, if the sky is clear.

With astronomy meetings and outreach activities on hold, you can watch the local Sunday Night Astronomy Show at 8 pm, and view archived shows, on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEHfOWyL-kNH7dBVHK8spg

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