Tuesday, January 1, 2013

January 2013 Calendar Pages

Here are the January, 2013 pages of our calendar and several items worthy of highlighting. 



PIC’s monthly ‘Visit your public lands’ suggestion is the Pahranagat Refuge.  We drive by it often and the refuge always provides miles of enjoyable scenery, but taking time to spend an afternoon—now that is really a treat!  Although popular in the spring and fall, a sunny January day will find you sharing the refuge with an abundance of waterfowl and wildlife, but few people.  The picnic sites along the east shore are perfectly set up for a visual feast.  Gazing over the water, watching the waterfowl while the winter trees provide stark contrast to the shoreline’s cattails and reeds is a relaxing way to spend some time; take the camera for some great photos.  As the day ends, your picnic site offers stunning views of the western sky and our lingering desert sunsets will not disappoint!  Hiking is easy; something the entire family from toddlers to grandparents can participate in and bring binoculars as everyone will want to see close-ups of the birds and other wildlife.  Most sites have BBQ's so hot food like burgers or chili are easy to prepare.  Access is via a paved road so any type of vehicle will get you there.  Enjoy!  Take some photos and post back about your day! 

The Quadrantids, peaking on January 3rd, is not one of the better known meteor showers, but in 2013 only the Perseids in August have dark nights for excellent viewing.  So, for 2013, the first meteor shower of the year ends up being one of the best to view.  Astronomy Magazine suggests finding a dark spot away from street lights and positioning yourself so that a tree or building blocks the moon’s glare; next look to  the northeast as this meteor shower radiates from that direction.  Even with the moon, Astronomy estimates a dark spot will produce 30-100 meteors an hour for your viewing pleasure.  Comment or post and let us know how many you saw! 

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