Spring Zodiacal

Sirius, Orion, Jupiter and Pleiades caught in zodiacal light.

A pair of Flickers have been fighting with a couple of Starlings for a hole in the top of the poplar out our window. Whoever has the upper hand usually camps out side the hole keeping the competition away. Sometimes it’s the Flicker sometimes it’s the Starling. I know how it’s going to end, because I saw the same show last year. Neither species will use the hole to nest, both considering it too dangerous because of each other.

Lisa and I saw and heard a few Meadowlarks below Swansea. Such a song. We look forward to it each spring.

I dug the garden, loosening up the soil with a pitchfork. There were plenty of worms. The garlic is all up and it looks like we should have a good crop. We are still eating last years. The daffodils are also up, despite the fact I thought I had dug them out. The garden is ready for some seeds. Within the week I hope to poke in some carrots, peas, beets and lettuce. It’s early but they can handle the chill. By May 24th I’ll get the rest planted.

Venus, just above the horizon at dusk.

Watched the sun set and waited to see if the zodiacal light would appear. Orion is in the west close to setting at dusk. It will be washed out by light soon, only to reappear to signal the coming fall. Venus was bright right on the western horizon. Jupiter was above Orion and Gemini ruling the sky. Sure enough a triangular white glow appeared with Pleiades caught in the light. Very fine spring day.

14 thoughts on “Spring Zodiacal”

    1. underswansea's avatar

      underswansea

      It is a very mysterious light. In the fall it happens before dawn. It is called false dusk in the spring and false dawn in the fall. Plenty of lost cold people have been given hope by false dawn only to have to shiver another few long hours waiting for light.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. mountaincoward's avatar

    mountaincoward

    Don’t think I’ve ever seen the ‘Zodiacal Glow’! Superb photos… Your meadow lark might be what we call a skylark? Our skylarks hover overhead and warble continuously – lovely birds and cheer me up in the fells. What’s a flicker bird?

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    1. underswansea's avatar

      underswansea

      Larks are very cheerful birds. Always nice to see them. A Flicker is a type of woodpecker that has orange under its wings so it seems to ‘flicker’ as it flys.

      You are due for a post.

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      1. mountaincoward's avatar

        mountaincoward

        I know I’m due for a post – I seem to have a lot going on at the moment and not all good! It will probably end up being a bit of a moany one about lack of progress and poor health! Plus the Zenith has had to go away for 3 months for repair! 😦 I suppose it is around 45 years old now so not surprising… it’s going to have a clean and service while it’s at it!

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    1. underswansea's avatar

      underswansea

      Hi Jim. Yes the sky was very clear. It was good to see the zodiacal light. I haven’t seen it in the spring for at least a few years. I tend to see it more near dawn in the fall.

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