Adapting to life in a new city or country can come with many challenges and successes. This video with Dr. Roland Sawatzky in the Winnipeg Gallery looks at how the experiences of immigrants to Winnipeg in the last 20 years or so compare to the experiences of immigrants 100-150 years ago.
This series celebrating Winnipeg’s 150th anniversary is ongoing throughout 2024, so keep an eye out for more #Wpg150 videos!
For planets, early morning is the time to observe. Although Saturn rises shortly after midnight, it stays low until the early morning hours. For unaided eye viewing you can catch it anytime after midnight, but telescope viewers should wait until it rises out of the thick murky (and probably smoky) air near the horizon for the clearest views.
Mercury moves into the evening sky this month, but the geometry keeps it very low to the horizon. It will be very difficult to catch even with binoculars, probably lost in the bright twilight after sunset. The best time to try for it is on the evening of July 7, when the thin crescent Moon will act as a pointer (see Sky Calendar below).
Venus reaches perihelion, the closest point to the Sun in its orbit, on July 10, but the same geometry keeps it very low in the west after sunset. What is the first day you can spot it with the unaided eye?
Earth reaches aphelion, the farthest point to the Sun in its orbit, on July 5. The slight change in the Earth-Sun distance doesn’t cause the seasons, but it does influence how long they are – this is why northern hemisphere summer weather (which occurs in July and August) is less pronounced than southern hemisphere summer weather (which occurs in January, when the Earth is closest to the Sun).
Mars spends the month in the morning sky, edging closer to the famous Pleiades star cluster and the planet Jupiter. It rises about 2:30 a.m. local time at the beginning of July and by 1:30 a.m. local time by month’s end. Still distant, it appears too small in a telescope for very good views.
Jupiter rises about 3:30 a.m. in the east-southeast, the brightest object in this part of the sky and just above the V-shaped star cluster that marks the face of Taurus the Bull. By month’s end it rises before 2 a.m. and forms a pretty triangle with Mars and the bright star Aldebaran.
Saturn is getting high enough this month for decent telescopic views, but you’ll have to get up early. The ringed planet rises shortly after midnight in early July and by 10:30 p.m. at the end of the month, but it will be at its best telescopic view when at its highest, in the early morning sky a couple of hours before dawn. Saturn’s 29.5-year orbit around the Sun gives us a differing angle to views the amazing rings of Saturn, and this year we see them almost edge-on. While this makes it less impressive than other years, they are still an amazing sight in any telescope. This geometry also opens up a series of events for Saturn’s 146 moons, several of which will transit across the planet’s disk or cast their shadow onto the cloud-tops.
All of these objects require binoculars or a telescope to spot. Due to their distance, they appear as tiny spots or star-like points, and will require a good star atlas or app to positively identify them. Try Stellarium’s web version or the free Stellarium program for PC.
In July there is one comet within the range of binoculars. Comet 13P/Olbers was last visible from Earth in 1956, and takes 69 years to orbit the Sun. On this pass through the inner solar system (called the comet’s “apparition”), Comet Olbers passed closest to the Sun on June 30th and is now slowly swinging back into the depths of space. It is visible in July in the evening sky low in the northwest after darkness falls, travelling slowly through the little-known constellations of Lynx and Leo Minor (down below the feet of Ursa major the Great Bear).
Comet Olbers is probably visible in binoculars only from a dark sky as a faint fuzzy spot without a tail. Recent images of the comet show a detailed blue ion tail and a wide diffuse dust tail, but these will only be visible in long-exposure telescope images. Still, spotting one of these celestial interlopers on their uncommon passes through the solar system reminds us of how many small bodies in the solar system are out there, just below the limit of our visibility.
For a printer-friendly version of the star chart click here.
3 Jul 2024 (morning sky): The crescent Moon sits to the upper left of Jupiter in the east-north-east, both fitting comfortably into a binocular field of view. The two form the base of a triangle with the Pleaides at its apex. Mars is farther east and higher.
5 Jul 2024: New Moon occurs at 5:57 p.m. CDT.
7 Jul 2024 (evening sky): The crescent Moon and Mercury are in the same binocular field. Mercury is to the lower right of the Moon, but sets soon after the Sun so you’ll need a very clear horizon and good timing to spot them.
13 Jul 2024: First Quarter Moon occurs at 5:49 p.m. CDT.
15 Jul 2024 (morning sky): Bright Mars passes close to distant Uranus, so close that they’ll be visible in the same field of view of most telescopes for several days centered on the 15th.
17 Jul 2024 (evening sky): The waxing gibbous Moon is to the left of the bright red star Antares, very low in the south. The Moon actually passed in front of (or occulted) the star about 2pm this afternoon, but it wasn’t visible on this side of the Earth.
21 Jul 2024: Full Moon occurs at 5:17 a.m. CDT.
23 Jul 2024: The dwarf planet Pluto reaches opposition, the point when it is opposite the Sun and visible all night. Unfortunately, its position in the southern sky makes Pluto a difficult observation from Canada this year without electronic imaging or travel.
24 Jul 2024 (morning sky): The waning gibbous Moon is to the right of Saturn this evening, but far enough away that they won’t both fit into the field of view of typical binoculars. The Moon will occult (pass in front of) Saturn later today, but it is not visible from Manitoba.
27 Jul 2024: Last Quarter Moon occurs at 9:51 p.m. CDT.
28 Jul 2024 (morning sky): Technically the peak of the Pisces Australis meteor shower, but it is not really a northern hemisphere event.
30 July 2024 (morning sky): The South Delta Aquariids peaks in the pre-dawn hours this morning. See “Meteor Showers” below.
This month there are two meteor showers (although neither is a “big” one). The one perhaps worth watching is the South Delta Aquariid meteor shower, which is slowly building throughout July to a peak on the morning of July 30. Patient observers may spot a dozen or more meteors per hour from this shower in the pre-dawn hours of the 30th. (Compare this to the typical 2 or 3 so meteors per hour you can see on any summer night.)
Technically, the Piscid Australis meteor shower also peaks in July, and you’ll see it listed in several sky calendars, but it will contribute less than 1 meteor per hour to Manitoba skies at best, so it is mentioned here only so you don’t get too hyped up over a listing elsewhere.
A note that T Corona Borealis, the so-called “Blaze Star”, is expected to go nova sometime this summer, brightening to about 2nd magnitude (about the brightness of the stars in the Big Dipper). It is located just beside the “crown” or Corona Borealis, and is normally too faint to find without a telescope. It is a double star system that has a massive eruption in brightness every 80 years or so, and observations indicate it could go at any moment. Watch for an upcoming blog detailing how you can see this rare event, and how simple observations anyone can do can contribute to our scientific understanding of this amazing star system.
Sometimes archaeologists find things in Manitoba that seem like they shouldn’t be here. We don’t have volcanos – how did obsidian get here? Through trade routes!
Learn more about the trade routes that have connected the continent for thousands of years in this video with Curator of Archaeology Dave Finch.
Pick up your own copy of this map at the Museum Shop!
You could be excused for thinking these often nearly perfectly round rocks were fossilized eggs, perhaps even dinosaur eggs? Find out what they really are in this video with Curator of Palaeontology & Geology, Dr. Joe Moysiuk.
Check out a concretion on display in the Earth History Gallery!
We show gratitude to the Telus Friendly Future Foundation for their generous support in funding our project, Anishinaabemowin with Amik. Together, we can work towards language preservation and ensure children and youth across the country have easy access to learning Anishinaabemowin. Gichi-miigwech!
This project title is inspired by the beaver (amik) who represents wisdom in the seven sacred teachings. The beaver is the pillar of their community’s and nature’s well-being and strives to make a positive impact.
Here in Winnipeg we love a good celebration! Coming together for festivals, sports, and cultural events help us share what it means to be Winnipeggers. Learn more in this video from the Winnipeg Gallery with Dr. Roland Sawatzky.
This series celebrating Winnipeg’s 150th anniversary is ongoing throughout 2024, so keep an eye out for more #Wpg150 videos!
By Tashina Houle-Schlup, Head of Indigenous Programming & Engagement
Throughout this important month, the Manitoba Museum celebrates the tangible and intangible heritage of the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities of Manitoba. One of our special initiatives to create space for these celebrations occurs on Sunday, June 16, when we will host our first-ever Indigenous Artist Market to honour and celebrate Indigenous History Month.
This much-anticipated market will not only showcase and support numerous local Indigenous artists, makers, and crafters but also provide a unique opportunity for visitors to engage in a cultural exchange, connecting the historical works in the Museum Galleries with the beautiful, contemporary creations from these vendors.
As caretakers of a significant collection of Indigenous ancestral works, the Museum takes pride in preserving and showcasing pieces like the exquisite, intricate quillwork dating back to the early 19th century and beadwork that transcends beauty in every meticulously created design.
Mid-19th-century octopus bag with floral beadwork, Cree or Anishinaabe. H4-0-734 ©Manitoba Museum
Early 19th-century cradleboard fender with loom quillwork, Cree or Anishinaabe, a possible origin of Red River Settlement. HBC 47-8 ©Manitoba Museum
We are fortunate to show our visitors that these hundreds of years-old artistic practices are still being carried forward by artists, makers, and crafters today. Some amazing, talented vendors attending our market include Bead N’ Butter, Red Thunder Cloud Designs, Onyx Art, Alicia Kejick Creations, Indigify, By Niizhode, Pretty Windy Designs, Anishinaa-Bakes, and many more.
The market will give attendees the chance to honour the rich artistic traditions on display in the Museum Galleries, support thriving local Indigenous entrepreneurs, and contribute to the growth and sustainability of their incredible work.
Earrings by Bead n Butter © Jessie Pruden
Digital artwork by Onyx Art. © Piper Lockhart
Toddler Ribbon Dress by Indigify © Stefanie Chabot
We invite you to visit the Museum this June to explore, reflect, and learn this Indigenous History Month; and don’t forget to stop by on Sunday, June 16, from 10 am to 3 pm to help us support and celebrate the talented artists taking part in our first ever Indigenous Artist Market.
Sometimes the storage drawers and cupboards that contain the Museum Collection need a little TLC to ensure they’re keeping specimens and artifacts as safe as possible. Join Aro as she dons her toolbelt to repair a specimen drawer lid that’s come loose.
Check out the insect specimens on display in the Boreal Forest Gallery.
This week is Museum Week and today’s theme, Water, coincides with World Oceans Day! Join Mika in the Science Gallery as she shares about our oceans’ important role in combatting climate change.
“Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.” – United Nations
Note: This video contains the popping of a balloon.
Toad surveying, mummifying carrots, hosting conferences, researching artifacts and specimens, and more! It’s the first day of Museum Week and today’s theme is Behind the Scenes. Let’s see what some of the Museum team is up to!
