E-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

WINTER STARGAZING PART 1

Hi Everyone, When was the last time that YOU looked up at the night sky during the winter? One might glance up after noticing the snow- covered ground brightened by a full moon, yet most will make a hurried dash from the car to the house and never give it a thought.

Winter stargazing is fun and has many advantages. These include a longer period of darkness, many nights of clear sky, plenty of celestial objects to observe, and some interesting seasonal night sky events. Let’s look more closely at each of these advantages.

The long period of darkness is due to the Earth’s axial tilt. During the winter, the Northern Hemisphere points away from the sun which results in fewer hours of sunshine and longer nights. On December 21st, we will have gained 6 hours and 4 minutes of added darkness compared to the night of June 21st when the Summer Solstice occurred this year. This works out to roughly a two-minute gain each night. No need to despair, since, from December 21st on, we’ll begin to collect daylight minutes as the darkness retreats.

The reason for the clarity of a winter night sky is that cold air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air does. On a cold winter night, any moisture in the sky escapes the Earth’s atmosphere. With no moisture above, clouds do not have a chance of forming.

Naked eye observation, the most common form of viewing for the average person, is just looking up without the aid of a pair of binoculars or a telescope. One might not think there is much to see yet on any given night about 4,548 stars are visible along with the possibility of 5 planets being sighted between dusk to dawn. A glimpse of the space station as it speeds overhead or the occasional meteor shower adds a special treat.

As with anything that we experience, there is a disadvantage or two that needs to be accounted for. The obvious disadvantages of winter stargazing are the cold night temperatures and that kink in your neck from looking skyward. With some pre-planning, this doesn’t need to be as bad as it sounds.

The cold temperature is not a problem when one wears many layers of clothing and covers one’s head. The layers should be a bit loose to allow a small amount of air to be caught between them. The materials should be of wool, fleece, or down that will stay warm even if they get wet. A covered head prevents one’s body heat from escaping upward like smoke out of a chimney. And, wearing tight gloves or boots constrict your hands and feet causing them to get cold quite quickly.

For that kink in your neck, an outdoor reclining chaise lounge works well for viewing the sky. Add to that a sleeping bag or blanket to conserve body heat. If you plan to stay outside for a while, bringing along a thermos filled with something hot to drink.

If I sparked an interest in you, please read through the NIGHT SKY WATCHING section starting on page 5 of this newsletter to learn what can be seen above this December. AT THE COPERNICAN OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM IN NEW BRITAIN section has information about their special free event occurring December 2nd to 5th. In January, I’ll highlight some specific seasonal night sky objects and events for you to view in Part 2 of this Winter Stargazing series.

Look forward to seeing you out and about! Miss Judy Page 1 of 10

e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

SCROLL DOWN THROUGH THE NEWSLETTER TO FIND THESE SECTIONS: • WINDING TRAILS NATURE EVENTS • HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH • COMING NEXT MONTH • FISHING IN CONNECTICUT • NIGHT SKY WATCHING • OTHER NATURE EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT

WINDING TRAILS NATURE EVENTS Registration is required 3 days prior to the event. If not enough people signup, the program is canceled.

DATE/TIME EVENT • ENJOY THE DECEMBER HOLIDAY SEASON… Winding Trails resumes our regular Nature programming in January.

• If Winter arrives in December with good ski and/or ice conditions, our Ski Center will be open. o This link provides information about our public offerings from cross-country skiing to ice skating. https://www.windingtrails.org/cross-country-ski/ o This link provides the current conditions of the trails, sledding hill, and skating pond. https://www.windingtrails.org/cross-country-ski/957-2/

HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH

• ENJOY THE DECEMBER HOLIDAY SEASON… Winding Trails resumes our regular Nature programming in January.

• Check out the OTHER NATURE EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT Section beginning on Page 8.

COMING NEXT MONTH

• SATURDAY, JANUARY 18th C.A.R.E. ICE FISHING CLASS & PRACTICE The Lodge Upstairs Conference Room at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Miss Judy and other Certified Fishing Instructors with the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) program have been teaching Introduction to Ice Fishing classes across the State for 20 years! Ice fishing is a great way to enjoy time outdoors and catch a few meals while getting some fresh air and exercise with family and friends during the winter.

Attend the FREE indoor class followed by an actual ice fishing trip on Dunning Lake (if ice conditions are safe). Instructors cover ice safety, clothing, rules and regulations, local fishing spots, fish identification, and bait and tackle. Instructors will have fishing equipment, cold-weather clothing, safety equipment, and everything else for you to inspect at the class and to borrow for the ice fishing trip. Families, youth groups, and adults looking to develop some new skills can all expect to have a fun and interesting time. It is very important to dress in layers and to wear boots for the afternoon ice fishing practice – no sneakers are allowed. Classes require pre-registration - Please register by Monday, January 14th.” Register at this link: http://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=1004 Page 2 of 10

e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

FISHING IN CONNECTICUT Fishing is a great activity that gets one outdoors and provides a way to see the many diverse areas of the state of Connecticut. In addition, it provides a way to enjoy and develop a life skill as one socializes with family and friends.

To help the public have greater access to enjoy the fishing experience, the State of Connecticut has developed a variety of ways to keep the public up-to-date on what is happening within the state. Here is how to access many of them:

• New Mobile app “Connecticut is Fishy!”

• Those that use social media will find these links helpful: Facebook Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Facebook Twitter CT DEEP Fisheries Twitter FishBrain Social Fishing App to Track Your Catches, Socialize with Other Anglers, and Get Fishing Intel

• Youth Fishing Passport The Youth Fishing Passport Program is a free product available to youth who are age 15 or younger. The program has sponsors who offer free or discounted fishing items and has two activities; Geo-Catching and the Fishing Challenge, which encourage families to spend quality time fishing together. • Fishing Guide Electronic Fishing Guide https://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/fishing/anglers_guide/anguide.pdf

• Current Regulations Inland fisheries current regulations Marine fisheries current regulations Multi-lingual marine fisheries regulations as a poster

• Educational brochures: Freshwater Fish in English or Spanish Saltwater Fish in English or Spanish

• Subscribe to E-Newsletters CT Fishin' Tips (monthly) Fishing Report (weekly)

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

Ice Fishing Classes and Events Pre-registration is required Class Dates Town Location/Details Status Class Times Call to Register Jan 9, 2020 Glastonbury Gideon Welles School Open 6:30pm to 8:30pm (860) 652-7697 Jan 18, 2020 Farmington Winding Trails/Classroom At "lodge" Open 9:30am to 3:00pm [email protected] 9:30-11:30am, Ice Fishing Trip 12-3pm (if Ice Conditions Are Safe) Jan 19, 2020 Bristol Indian Rock Nature Center/Class Open 10:00am to (860) 583-1234 10am-12pm; Ice Fishing Trip 12-3pm 3:00pm (if Ice Conditions Are Safe) Jan 22, 2020 West Hartford Westmoor Park Open 6:30pm to 8:30pm (860) 561-8260 Jan 25, 2020 Litchfield White Memorial/Classroom 10am- Open 10:00am to (860) 567-0857 12pm; Ice Fishing Trip 12-3pm (if Ice 3:00pm Conditions Are Safe) Jan 26, 2020 Killingworth Care Center/Classroom 10am-12pm; Open 10am to 3pm (860) 663-1656 Ice Fishing Trip 12-3pm (if Ice Conditions Are Safe) Feb 8, 2020 Coventry Patriots Park - Lodge/Classroom Open 10:00am to (860) 742-4068 10am-12pm; Ice Fishing Trip (if Ice 3:00pm Conditions Are Safe) 12-3pm

Special Fishing Events Class Dates Town Location/Details Status Class Times Call to Register Feb 1, 2020 Torrington Burr Pond State Park Open 10:00am to register at event No Child Left Inside - Winter Festival 3:00pm (with Ice Fishing)

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

NIGHT SKY WATCHING

FULL MOON INFORMATION

The Full Cold Moon will occur on December 12th at 12:12 a.m. EST. During this month, the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. This month’s moon is also called the Moon before Yule or Long Night’s Moon.

The name Moon before Yule is an Old English/Anglo-Saxon name for the last moon before the winter solstice.

The term Long Night’s Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and this Moon is above the horizon for a long time. This midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS THIS MONTH INCLUDES:

PLANETS • Mercury appears in east-southeast about 30 minutes before sunrise. Binoculars will pull it out of the twilight. • Venus is seen in the southwest beginning at evening dusk. Watch for it on the 10th and 11th near Saturn. • Mars rises about 2 ½ to 3 hours before sunrise which is between 7:00 and 7:17 a.m. this month. • Jupiter is seen very low in the southwest at the evening dusk. It disappears from view around December 12th. • Saturn plays leapfrog with Venus this month. It starts December to the upper left of Venus on the 1st and moves closer together each evening. On the evenings of December 11th to 13th, the two pass each other. It will disappear from view on the 27th.

CELESTIAL EVENTS • December 1st Moon phase – waxing crescent • December 4th Moon phase – first quarter • December 4th to 17th Geminids Meteor Shower The Geminids are usually the strongest meteor shower of the year and meteor enthusiasts are certain to circle December 13 and 14 on their calendars. This is the one major shower that provides good activity prior to midnight as the constellation of Gemini is well placed from 22:00 onward. The Geminids are often bright and intensely colored. Due to their medium-slow velocity, persistent trains are not usually seen. • December 13th – 14th Peak of Geminids Meteor Shower Starting from 10:00 p.m. EST on the 13th

• December 6th Moon phase – waxing gibbous • December 6th About 45 minutes after sunset, look for Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter above the southwest horizon. • December 10th-11th View Venus and Saturn together in the southwest sky beginning at evening dusk. • December 12th Moon phase – Full Moon 12:12 a.m. EST • December 16th Moon phase – waning gibbous • December 18th Moon phase – last quarter • December 21st Winter Solstice 11:19 p.m. EST • December 21st Moon phase – waning crescent • December 26th Moon phase – new moon • December 27th-29th View Saturn and Venus with the waxing crescent moon about 30 minutes after sunset in the southwest. • December 30th Moon phase – waxing crescent

Sources: Old Farmer’s Almanac – Astronomy http://www.almanac.com/astronomy Sky Watch 2019 Sky & Telescope Publishing A Year of the Night Sky Calendar 2019 Ziga Media

Visit this website to obtain The Evening Sky Map (PDF); a 2-page monthly guide to the current month’s night sky. http://skymaps.com/downloads.html

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

AT THE COPERNICAN OBSERVATORY AND PLANETARIUM IN NEW BRITAIN The Copernican Observatory and Planetarium at the Central CT State University in New Britain has regularly scheduled programs listed in their calendar that are posted on their website. The planetarium and observatory offer free monthly programs that are open to the public.

SPECIAL FREE EVENT – STARS & CHILL On Monday - Thursday, December 2-5 from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., the students of the Observational Astronomy class will be holding their free public observing sessions; only if the skies are clear. Come view the Andromeda Galaxy, the moon, star clusters, and more through a variety of telescopes and mounted binoculars. To find out if skies are clear enough for observing on any listed night, call 860-832-2938 after 5 PM.

Planetarium Shows and Events: On Friday, December 6th at 7 p.m. and Friday, December 20th at 7 p.m., they will have their regularly scheduled free show in their planetarium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a variety of hands-on science demos.

For planetarium shows, seating is first-come, first-served. The planetarium is in Copernicus Hall. Convenient parking is in the Copernicus (South) garage (An interactive map is located at this link: http://www2.ccsu.edu/campusMap/).

Observatory Events: Join them for a free observing session directly after the planetarium show (observing is weather permitting: they need a clear sky). The observatory is located on the roof of Copernicus Hall. Take the elevators to the 5th or 6th floor and follow the signs.

For additional information, visit this link: http://web.ccsu.edu/astronomy/

AT THE WESLEYAN VAN VLECK OBSERVATORY IN MIDDLETOWN The Wesleyan Van Vleck Observatory in Middletown offers Saturday night public observations and family programming.

Monthly Saturday Night Observing (runs all year long) at 8:00 p.m. th (December 7 ) Organized and hosted by the Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford (ASGH), this is a great opportunity to view the sky through our beautiful 20" refractor. Re-furbished in recent years in honor of Walter Scott "Scotty" Houston who used this instrument many nights, we can now share this telescope with the public on regular occasions. For parking, please note that we are NOT permitted to park at the observatory building on observatory hill. Please use Lot V on Vine Street and walk up the hill to the observatory. Link for additional information: http://asgh.org/december-7-2019/

The session will be canceled should the weather not permit observings, such as cloud cover, high wind, or threat of precipitation. Cancellation notices will be posted on their website by 6:00 p.m. the day of the observing event. For up-to-date details, please visit the http://asgh.org/public-observing/.

For parking, use Lot V on Vine Street and walk up the hill to the observatory. The campus map is available at this link: http://www.wesleyan.edu/about/images/CamMap_0824_WEB.pdf.

Kids’ Nights for Observing Aimed at Elementary School Ages, Yet Open to Anyone 1st & 3rd Friday of the Month at 7:00 p.m. (No programs due to semester break) Kid-friendly space-related activities, led by our graduate and undergraduate students, which include observing with our telescopes when it’s clear.

For parking, use Lot V on Vine Street and walk up the hill to the observatory. The campus map is available at this link: http://www.wesleyan.edu/about/images/CamMap_0824_WEB.pdf.

Space Night Aimed at Adults & High School Students, Yet Open to Anyone Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. (December 4th; No other programs due to semester break) Each program begins with a half-hour interactive presentation by one of our astronomy majors or masters’ students, on some topic of space news or recent discoveries in astronomy, followed by observing through the telescopes if the sky is clear. The program occurs at the Van Vleck Observatory at 96 Foss Hill in Middletown, CT.

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

For parking, use Lot V on Vine Street and walk up the hill to the observatory. The campus map is available at this link: http://www.wesleyan.edu/about/images/CamMap_0824_WEB.pdf.

Wesleyan Astronomy Night Mailing List To get on their mailing list for a once a week email to find out what events are happening, scroll to the bottom of the page at this link, http://www.wesleyan.edu/astro/events/index.html, and enter your email address.

SPACE STATION OBSERVING NASA’s Spot the Station service gives you a list of upcoming sighting opportunities based on your zip code through an interactive map for thousands of locations worldwide and will let you sign up to receive notices of opportunities in your email inbox or on your cell phone. The space station looks like a fast-moving plane in the sky and is bright enough that it can even be seen from the middle of a city! It can traverse the entire sky in 3 to 7 minutes. The notice gives the date, time, duration of visibility, and direction of travel. Enter in the town closest to your viewing location. Do note that there can be a series of dates during the year that it is not visible over Connecticut. The link for further information is http://spotthestation.nasa.gov.

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

OTHER NATURE EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT

ANSONIA NATURE & RECREATION CENTER – Upcoming Events – Preregistration is Required! • Sundays, December 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th Guided Hike • Tuesdays, December 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, & 31st Fiber Arts Group • Saturdays, December 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th Creature Feature • December 7th Needle Felting for Beginners • December 11th FANCI Monthly Meeting • December 14th Sticks and Stones Playtime • December 21st Winter Solstice Celebration

Visit their website for more details and additional events at this link during the month of December! http://ansonianaturecenter.org/programs-events/calendar-of-events/

CT DEEP Events in CT – Upcoming Events – Preregistration is Required! TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION, HOVER OVER PROGRAM TITLE AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS: Event Date Time Location

Nature's Friends 2019 11/29/2019 - 12/21/2019 See Event Details Osborne Homestead Museum Derby Educator Workshop - The Problem with 12/10/2019 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Kellogg Environmental Center

Pollinators Derby

CT Forest & Park Association – Upcoming Events TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION, HOVER OVER PROGRAM TITLE AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS:

Date Event Town Audience

December 4, 2019 Quarterly CFPA Trails Committee Meeting Middlefield Adults, CFPA Volunteers CFPA Ramble: Women of the Woods at December 5, 2019 Guilford Adults

Timberland Woods

December 7, 2019 BBHT Fall Hike Series- Mohawk Trail Canaan All are welcome December Morning Relaxed Ramble at December 10, 2019 Middlefield Adults, Seniors

CFPA Woods Forum: The Future of Connecticut's December 12, 2019 Hampton All are welcome, Adults

Forests

Visit their website for more details and additional events at this link! http://www.ctwoodlands.org/CFPA-events

CT River Watershed Council – Upcoming Events- No Events Posted at Time of Publication

Visit their website to check out their calendar at this link https://www.ctriver.org/news-events/.

CT State Museum of Natural History & Archaeology Center at UConn – Upcoming Events • December 7th The Shape of Storrs: A Special Presentation by Dr. Robert Thorson Detailed information at https://mnh.uconn.edu/mnhcurrentcalendar.html

Visit their website to check out for calendar updates at this link: http://www.cac.uconn.edu/mnhcurrentcalendar.html

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

If you would like to be added to their mailing list to receive a printed copy of their programs, call 860-486-4460.

Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut – Upcoming Events • December 7th Annual Santa’s Farm Workshop Day 1 http://elcct.org/event/annual-santas-farm-workshop-2/ • December 8th Annual Santa’s Farm Workshop Day 2 http://elcct.org/event/annual-santas-farm-workshop-3/

Visit their website to check out their calendar at this link http://elcct.org/calendar/.

Farmington River Watershed Association – Upcoming Events No Events Posted at Time of Publication

Visit their website to check out their calendar at this link http://frwa.org/programs-and-events/.

Friends of American Legion & Peoples State Forests (FALPS) – Upcoming Events Use this link for a map of the Forest Trails - http://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/stateparks/maps/peoples.pdf Visit their website at https://falps.org/ for more information about upcoming events and how to volunteer. Watch their Facebook page at this link: https://www.facebook.com/ctfalps/events?ref=page_internal

(RSVP not required, but appreciated at [email protected] or call/text 860-882-9632)

• December 7th FALPS Make Your Own Walking Sticks Free and open to all youngsters including teens. Location: Old Hitchcock Chair Factory (Riverton Storage), 2 School Street, Riverton Noon to 3:00 p.m.

Roaring Brook Nature Center – Upcoming Events • Month of December Home for the Holidays Scavenger Hunt • December 8th Sven & Friends: My, What Large Antlers You Have • December 12th Full ‘Cold’ Moon Night Hike • December 22nd Winter Solstice Celebrations • December 25th Merry Christmas – Nature Center Closed Trails Open Dawn to Dusk • December 26th to 28th & 30th to 31st Let It Snow! • December 29th Frozen Tea Party with Anna and Elsa

Visit their website to check out their calendar at this link for more information! http://www.roaringbrook.org/events/events.html

Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington, CT – Upcoming Events No Events Posted at Time of Publication

For additional information about a program, click on the link or call their office at 860-424-3011. Visit their website to obtain their trail map: https://www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/wildlife/pdf_files/maps/maps_other/swtrail.pdf

Sharon Audubon Center in Sharon, CT – Upcoming Events No Events Posted at Time of Publication

Visit their website for other events at this link: http://sharon.audubon.org/events. Or call the Audubon Center for information at (860) 364-0520 For a copy of their trail maps, visit: http://sharon.audubon.org/trail-maps

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e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - December 2019

White Memorial Conservation Center – Upcoming Events • December 5th Nature’s Nursery for Ages 3 to 6 https://whitememorialcc.org/event/natures-nursery-3/?instance_id=321 • December 7th Road Trip to Riverside Reptiles Education Center https://whitememorialcc.org/event/road-trip-to-the-riverside-reptiles-education-center/?instance_id=299 • December 10th Monthly Bird Walk Series w/ Kristi Dranginis https://whitememorialcc.org/event/monthly-bird-walk-series-with-kristi-dranginis-8/?instance_id=352 • December 14th Llama Walk w/ Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm https://whitememorialcc.org/event/llama-walk/?instance_id=301 • December 14th Winter Wildlife Tracking w/ Andy Dobos … The Forest Wolf https://whitememorialcc.org/event/winter-wildlife-tracking-with-andy-dobos-the-forest-wolf/?instance_id=353 • December 14th The Snow Queen https://whitememorialcc.org/event/the-snow-queen/?instance_id=356 • December 21st to 27th Museum Children Free Week https://whitememorialcc.org/event/museum-children-free-week-15/?instance_id=303 • December 21st Llama Walk w/ Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm https://whitememorialcc.org/event/llama-walk-with-debbie-labbe-from-country-quilt-llama-farm-5/?instance_id=306 • December 21st Welcoming Winter at Five Ponds https://whitememorialcc.org/event/welcoming-winter-at-five-ponds/?instance_id=304 • December 22nd Llama Walk w/ Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm https://whitememorialcc.org/event/llama-walk-with-debbie-labbe-from-country-quilt-llama-farm-6/?instance_id=309 • December 24th A Christmas Eve Stroll Up Apple Hill https://whitememorialcc.org/event/a-christmas-eve-stroll-up-apple-hill/?instance_id=310 • December 25th Christmas – Museum Closed https://whitememorialcc.org/event/christmas-2/?instance_id=311 • December 28th 6th Annual Winter Walk Along the Lake and Butternut Brook Trails w/ Marlow Shami https://whitememorialcc.org/event/6th-annual-winter-walk-along-the-lake-and-butternut-brook-trails-with-marlow- shami/?instance_id=312 • December 30th One Day of Fun Grades 1 to 3 https://whitememorialcc.org/event/one-day-fun-day-grades-1-3/?instance_id=344 • December 31st One Day of Fun Grades 4 to 6 https://whitememorialcc.org/event/one-day-fun-day-grades-4-6-2/?instance_id=346

Visit their website to check out their calendar and register at this link for more information! https://whitememorialcc.org/calendar/

Or call The Conservation Center for more details at 860-567-0857. For a copy of their trail maps, visit: https://whitememorialcc.org/trail-maps/

Look forward to seeing you out and about! Miss Judy Judy Witzke, Park Naturalist Winding Trails, Inc. 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington, CT 06032 Office: (860) 677-8458 ext. 33 Fax: (860) 676-9407 E-mail: [email protected]

Fostering a Love for the Outdoors/Creating a Sense of Community/Developing Leadership and Life Skills

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