The purpose of this feature is to give scout leaders, educators and naturalists an idea of some of the natural events coming up each month.  We will try to cover a variety of natural events ranging from sky events to calling periods of amphibians, bird and mammal watching tips,  prominent wildflowers and anything else that comes to mind.  We will also note prominent constellations appearing over the eastern horizon at mid-evening each month for our area for those who would like to learn the constellations.  If you have suggestions for other types of natural information you would like to see added to this calendar, let us know!

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Notes and Images From October 2017

Even with this schedule the hike was spectacular.  There were many scenic vistas as we made our way up the mountain, and when the stars came out the views were worth all of the effort.  The image at right is a single 25-second exposure from a fixed tripod.  It spans a large swath of the Milky Way.  To give a sense of scale, you can hover your mouse over the image and the Summer Triangle (Vega, Deneb and Altair) is labeled.  The image does not include the brightest parts of the Milky Way in southern Sagittarius.

When we look at the Milky Way we see older golden stars at the core of our galaxy and the younger blue stars in the spiral arms. Compare the colors and dark dust patterns in the image above to the image of the edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4565 here.

The air at Death Valley is incredibly clear.  At bottom right in the image, notice the faint colored bands extending diagonally upward.  This is air glow.  Air glow is a phenomenon of the upper atmosphere.  Atoms that were ionized by the Sun's radiation during the daytime recombine during the evening hours and emit light during this process.  The result is faint bands of greens, reds and blues that extend across the sky.  They are most visible about 15 degrees from the horizon.

One of the most remarkable things about the mountain habitat was the virtual absence of sound on the way back down the mountain.  We found ourselves savoring the silence.

These caterpillars do not have prolegs like many other caterpillars in other families.  Instead they have suckers on their abdomens and even produce a kind of liquified silk to provide lubrication and help them move. Often their overall shape is flattened, and many bristle with stinging hairs which can be painful if they brush against your hand.

To me they often look like little alien landing crafts, and the variety of shapes and colors in the family is amazing.  I can only recall seeing one member of the family previously, the Saddleback Caterpillar.  The Crowned Slug Caterpillar favors oak, cherry, maple, basswood, elm and beech leaves when foraging.  The hairs along its periphery and down its back will sting on contact.  Larvae overwinter in loose oval cocoons and emerge as adult moths in the spring.

Saturn is visible all month, but view it as early as possible in the evening to get the best telescopic views.  Look for it in the southwest in Ophiuchus.  The rings are now open to their maximum tilt of 27 degrees.

We think of November as the quietest time of year for Tennessee frogs and toads.  However, some song can still occasionally be heard.  Listen for Spring Peepers, Upland Chorus Frogs and Southern Leopard Frogs.  Checking around ponds at night with a flashlight held next to your temple  will often show the eye shine of Southern Leopard Frogs, Green Frogs and Bullfrogs.  As in October, you can locate many of the frogs and toads that have been calling more frequently earlier in the year by driving the back roads slowly on rainy nights.  This is a two person job.  One person watches the road for amphibians and one person looks out for other vehicles. 

Recommended:  The Frogs and Toads of North America, Lang Elliott, Houghton Mifflin Co.