ISS Tonight - Twice

30 Apr -2.6 20:24:17 SSW 33
&
30 Apr -1.6 21:59:22 W 33

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Arcturus

Arcturus, which is the third-brightest star in the night sky, is high in the east at nightfall and high in the west at first light tomorrow. The light from Arcturus that reaches your eye tonight has been traveling through space since 1973.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tonight

29 Apr -3.3 21:35:42 WSW 80

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tonight

28 Apr -2.6 21:10:54 SSW 32

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Venus, the "evening star"

Venus, the "evening star," is in Taurus, the bull, tonight. The orange star Aldebaran, to the upper left of Venus, represents the bull's eye. The dipper-shaped star cluster known as the Pleiades, the bull's shoulder, is to the lower right of Venus.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

27 Apr -3.4 04:23:39 W 58

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

26 Apr -2.5 03:59:55 NNW 49

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

The planet Saturn

The planet Saturn is to the lower left of the Moon as darkness falls tonight, and looks like a bright golden star. A small telescope will reveal the planet's glorious rings.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

25 Apr -3.4 05:07:52 WNW 61

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Farewell Orion

Orion, the hunter, is bowing out of the evening sky. He's low in the west at nightfall, and his stars begin dropping from view not long afterward. The constellation will be all but lost from sight by the middle of May.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

24 Apr -2.5 04:48:12 NW 51

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

22 Apr -2.4 05:34:50 NW 49

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Lyrid meteor shower

The Lyrid meteor shower is at its best the next couple of nights. The Moon will be out of the way for part of the night, providing dark skies for the few meteors that streak by.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

April 17, 2009: An Anniversary to Remember, but Not One to Celebrate

It was a beautiful spring day in Wisconsin. The sun was shining, there was light breeze, and the temperature was hovering around 75 degrees. Like many in Wisconsin this time of year, it was the first glimpse of summer just around the corner and people were eager to get outside and do some annual clean-up on their properties.

At around three o’clock in the afternoon, the smell of smoke filled the air and numerous DNR fire control and local fire department personnel, engines, and air patrol immediately raced to the scene of a reported uncontrolled wildfire. In the end, The Easton Fire burned 106 acres and four buildings on twenty-one different landowners’ properties in Adams County.

Not only did this fire change the landscape and the perspectives of local landowners, but it also changed the lives of two individuals who were responsible for allowing their fire to escape and falsifying information to the investigative authorities. Like all wildfires in Wisconsin, individuals found responsible may be subject to suppression costs (the Easton Fire alone incurred over $18,000), fines, community service, and even jail time.

Debris burning continues to be the number one cause of wildfires in Wisconsin and the Easton Fire started in typical debris burning fashion: the fire danger was elevated, coupled with a property owners’ failure to obtain a proper burning permit or follow the daily restrictions. In general, spring weather conditions make it a volatile time for the public to be debris burning. No matter what time of year, high temperatures, low relative-humidity, increased wind speeds and dead or dry vegetation is a lethal combination for anyone who intends to light a match in the outdoors.

In order to battle the on-going problem of debris burning, the DNR recently implemented an electronic burning permit system that allows the public to burn when conditions are safe. Those wishing to burn simply obtain their annual permit from a Ranger Station or Emergency Fire Warden then call a toll-free number (1-888-WIS-BURN) or check online on the day they want to burn. On April 17th, 2009, the Smokey fire danger signs in Adams County were set at “very high” and all outdoor burning was suspended for the day. One easy phone call or visit to the web could have prevented this fire.

“We are looking at ways to make it even easier to obtain a burning permit and check the daily burning restrictions,” states Trent Marty, director of forest protection at DNR. “It’s important to remember that anyone found burning without a permit or contrary to the permit restrictions will be held responsible for their fire if it gets away.”

Debris burning should always be the last alternative. Today, there are several environmentally safe methods of disposing yard waste such as recycling, composting or leaving debris in the woods for wildlife habitat. If burning is the only option, be sure to obtain proper burning permits and follow the rules.

Marty says, “As we all know in Wisconsin, the weather conditions change quickly. On a given day, it may not be safe to burn, but wait a day or two and burning conditions could change for the better. Having a little patience and following the rules is a proven philosophy that will protect lives, property and natural resources from the potential risk of wildfire.”

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conjunction

Venus, the "evening star," stands to the Moon's upper left at nightfall. The smaller planet Mercury, which is only a fraction as bright as Venus, is about a degree below the Moon, which is less than the width of a finger held at arm's length.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

15 Apr -2.2 04:23:40 NNW 35

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

The Moon is "new"

The Moon is "new" at 7:29 a.m. CDT today as it crosses the imaginary line between Earth and Sun. It is lost from view in the Sun's glare. It will return to view as the barest of crescents not long after sunset tomorrow.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

14 Apr -1.5 04:00:34 ENE 32

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Our stellar neighborhood

Our stellar neighborhood is thinly settled. Only 11 stars lie within 10 light-years of the solar system, and only one of them is visible from northern skies: Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, which is well up in the southwest in early evening.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

13 Apr -2.3 05:08:57 W 36

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

12 Apr -3.5 04:46:36 WSW 88

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

ISS Tomorrow Morning

11 Apr -2.3 05:55:36 W 36

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Don’t prune oaks April through July to avoid oak wilt

People who value their oak trees should not prune them from April through July, according to the latest recommendations from state forestry officials. The reason? Spring and early-summer pruning makes oak trees vulnerable to oak wilt, a serious and almost-always fatal fungal disease of oaks.

Special care should also be taken to avoid wounding oaks from April through July, according to Kyoko Scanlon, Department of Natural Resources forest pathologist. Any action that might provide an opening into the tree, she says, such as carving initials into the tree or attaching a birdfeeder or clothes line, could provide an opportunity for the oak wilt fungus to invade and establish itself in the tree.

If an oak tree is pruned from April through July, a wound dressing or paint should be applied to the cut surface as soon as the wound is created. Even half an hour can be enough time for beetles that transmit the disease to land on a fresh wound and infect your tree, Scanlon said. While the risk of spreading oak wilt is low after July, she said homeowners should avoid pruning or wounding oaks until autumn, to be on the safe side.

“Oak wilt can spread from a diseased tree to a healthy tree through a connected root system as well as by insects,” according to Scanlon. “Very small sap beetles pick up fungal spores by landing on fungal mats found beneath the cracked bark of trees that died the previous year. The spores are then transmitted from the beetle body onto the fresh wound of a healthy oak tree while the beetle is feeding at the pruned or damaged site.” The beetle that transmits oak wilt disease is not capable of boring into a tree, Scanlon added.

If a wound is left unprotected, a new oak wilt pocket may develop in a location where oak wilt did not previously exist and will radiate to other oaks through the connected root systems. If no management steps are taken, Scanlon said the pocket could continue to expand year after year. Once oak wilt establishes itself in an area, control of the disease is both difficult and costly. The prevention of oak wilt is the best approach.

Scanlon said builders and developers should also be very careful as many oak wilt infections and deaths have occurred through inadvertent damage to roots, trunks, or branches during the construction process.

Oak wilt is found in all Wisconsin counties except Ashland, Bayfield, Calumet, Door, Douglas, Forest, Iron, Kewaunee, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Oneida, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Sheboygan, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn Counties. Every year, the disease kills many oaks in the state by interfering with the tree’s water and nutrient-conducting systems, essentially starving the tree. Leaves begin to wilt, and the tree may eventually die. Trees in the red oak group, such as northern red and northern pin oak, are especially vulnerable, and once wilting symptoms become visible, the tree loses most of its leaves and dies very quickly, often within weeks. Trees in the white oak group – those with rounded or lobed leaves – are more resistant to oak wilt, and the disease progresses much more slowly, often one branch at a time. White oaks could live with oak wilt for many years, and some trees may recover from the disease.

“Besides oaks, pruning deciduous trees in general should be avoided in the spring, as this is the time when tree buds and leaves are growing and food reserves are low,” according to Don Kissinger, a DNR urban forester. “The best time to prune any deciduous tree is winter, followed by mid-summer -- after leaves have completed their growth.”

Anyone interested in learning more about oak wilt and other forest pests as well as tree pruning should visit the Wisconsin DNR Forest Health Web pages for more information. Additional information about proper pruning techniques is available from your community forester, a University of Wisconsin-Extension agent (exit DNR), or DNR urban forestry coordinators.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Kyoko Scanlon (608) 275-3275 or Don Kissinger (715) 359-5793.

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ISS Tomorrow Morning

10 Apr -3.4 05:31:49 WSW 88

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Sirius

Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, slides across the southwest this evening. The star is well up in the south-southwest as darkness falls, and sets by around midnight. It twinkles fiercely as it drops nearer the horizon.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Venus and Mercury

The planets Venus and Mercury are low in the west as night begins to fall the next few evenings. Venus is the brilliant "evening star." Much fainter Mercury is just a little to the lower right of Venus.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

New two-year utility terrain vehicle program to launch

All counties statewide eligible to participate

Under a revised pilot program, utility terrain vehicles, also known as lightweight utility vehicles or side by sides, may again be allowed on certain county all-terrain vehicle trails and routes statewide.

A previous pilot program expired in September 2009. The new program has been revamped and expanded, and is significantly different than the previous program.

Gary Eddy, Department of Natural Resources ATV administrator said the Legislature enacted another two-year pilot program, and the Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) Pilot Program was recently signed into law by Gov. Jim Doyle and is in effect until June 30, 2012.

“This law just passed, so we need to give counties time to digest the new law and determine whether they are interested in participating or not,” he said.

Interested counties must pass a resolution indicating they want to participate in the pilot program and file it with the DNR and any law enforcement agency within their jurisdiction. Towns within those counties may pass a resolution to opt out of the program if the town doesn't wish to participate.

Notable changes from the previous pilot program include:

* Different vehicle specifications, including requirements for factory equipped seatbelts and a roll bar, type device.
* ATV trails on state and national forest lands may not be participating.
* UTVs participating in the program will require Public Use - ATV registration, including for non-residents.
* All ATV laws will apply, except that operators age 16 and born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 must complete a DNR ATV Safety Education Course. Operators under age 16 are not allowed to operate a UTV.
* Driver's licenses are not required.

“It's important for people to know that they have to wait until counties opt into the program. Anyone operating their UTV on trails or roads not officially opened will be ticketed. Just because their UTV is registered, doesn't mean they can go,” Eddy said “Once the pilot program ends, the DNR will again review the data gathered during the program, consult with the counties and then forward the results to the legislature. This is a responsible approach towards a possible permanent, statewide registration program for these vehicles.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Eddy, All-Terrain Vehicle Administrator, (608) 267-7455 or Diane Conklin, Trail Grant Manager, (715) 822-8583

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Church expansion project may result in incidental taking of rare gartersnake

A church construction project in Oak Creek could result in the incidental taking of a rare gartersnake under an incidental take permit the Department of Natural Resources is proposing to authorize for the project. Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the overall population of the species at risk.

The proposed Oak Creek Assembly of God Church construction project involves the expansion of the church building, parking lot, and stormwater detention pond. The expansion areas currently consist of paved parking lot, manicured lawn, and a managed stormwater detention basin.

The presence of the state-threatened Butler’s gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri) has been confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR has determined that the species is likely present due to the presence of suitable habitat and that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some snakes.

The project will minimize impacts to the Butler’s gartersnake by conducting snake removals, installing snake exclusion fencing, minimizing habitat disturbance, creating additional habitat for the snake, and conducting habitat management in the future.

The DNR concluded that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the snake by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of these snakes or the whole plant-animal community of which they are a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.

The conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the threatened species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Permit. Copies of the jeopardy assessment and background information on the Butler’s gartersnake are available on the Incidental Take page of the DNR Web site or upon request from Rori Paloski, Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources, 101 South Webster, Madison, WI 53707, 608-264-6040. Public comments will be taken through April 27, 2010 and should be sent to Rori Paloski at the above address.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Rori Paloski, DNR, Bureau of Endangered Resources, 608-264-6040

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the five planets

Four of the five planets that are visible to the unaided eye are in sight at the same time early this evening. Venus, the "evening star," is low in the west at sunset, with fainter Mercury to its lower right. Orange Mars stands high in the south, with golden Saturn climbing skyward in the east. My favorite, Jupiter, is up in the east just before the Sun tomorrow morning.

- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill

Top 10 reasons DNR fire control officials ask the public not to burn yard waste!

Spring has arrived quickly leaving many areas very dry and at high risk for wildfire.

DNR fire control officials are asking the public to delay residential burning, on the ground or in a burn barrel, until conditions improve. The safest bet is to not burn at all or wait until trees and fields are green with new growth.

Fire danger conditions are updated daily during Wisconsin’s fire season. The department’s Web site also directs citizens through the burning permit process and offers tips for making a home survivable from wildfire.

“Warmer temperatures, the start of local farmers markets, longer daylight hours, and the anticipation of a big catch on the fishing opener all signal spring,” said Trent Marty, chief of DNR forest protection. “Spring temperatures and snowmelt also motivate residents and visitors to do annual clean-up around their yards.”

Forestry officials are asking the public not to conduct any residential burning until the fire danger improves. Here’s why:

Top 10 reasons not to burn yard waste right now.

1. SAFETY: Burning places firefighters and civilians at risk. Last year alone, during active wildfires, the DNR lost one of its pilots, 10 civilians were injured and five deaths occurred; mostly related to attempting to suppress escaped fires.
2. STRUCTURES: Burning places homes and communities at risk. On average, Wisconsin loses nearly 80 structures every year. Firewise practices help [www.firewise.org] (exit DNR) homes survive on their own without suppression efforts.
3. FORESTS: Unplanned and uncontrolled wildfires place natural resources at risk. Wisconsin’s trees and forests support jobs and the wildlife we love to see.
4. HISTORY: Statistics show that people cause nearly 98% of all wildfires in Wisconsin. Debris burning is the number one human-cause and typically the product of well-intended citizens who were “just cleaning up.”
5. WEATHER: More than 75 percent of all wildfires in Wisconsin occur in the months of April and May. This time of the year, vegetation is dead and dry; winds are dry and strong and humidity is low.
6. HEALTH: Burning can be smelly and unhealthy, and neighbors will thank you if you choose a more environmentally friendly option.
7. ALTERNATIVES: Composting, recycling, or leaving yard waste in the woods for wildlife habitat are smart alternatives to burning. Most communities have transfer sites or garbage pick-up and drop-off locations. Check locally before burning.
8. COST: Anyone found responsible for starting a wildfire is liable for all of its suppression costs. This could mean the cost of firefighters, fire trucks, airplanes and even the cost of damages. Visiting a transfer site or paying a minimal fee to dispose of yard waste and garbage is a worthwhile investment.
9. LAWS: It is unlawful to burn garbage. DNR burning permits are only good for the burning of brush, leaves, pine needles, grass, clean wood and unrecyclable paper or cardboard.
10. RESPONSIBILITY: It’s just not the right thing to do right now! Wait until the fire danger is LOW. Always obtain proper permits and check with local fire officials for the best time to burn and other tips to make your fire safe. Follow Smokey’s lead: “Only you can prevent wildfires!”

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Koele, Wildfire Prevention Specialist, Wisconsin DNR; Robert Manwell (608) 264-9248

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