Dense fog

Good morning Augusta.

This morning it is overcast, then mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. Fog early. High of 48F. Winds less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 20%.

Tonight it will remain overcast with a chance of rain. Fog overnight. Low of 39F. Winds from the SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

The readings from my own weather instruments are:

The humidity is 94% with a dew point of 36.4ºF and a wind chill of 38.5ºF.

The temperature is 38.5ºF.

Presently we have   almost no wind puffing between 0.4 MPH and 1.3 MPH.

Our Barometric pressure is 30.04/HPA 1017.2 and falling with a weather graphic indicating rain.

There is no  UV rating owing to the dense fog, sunset will be at 4:23 PM with Moon Rise  at 8:02 a.m. and the moon phase is waxing crescent .

For the pilots out there: Raw METAR is –

METAR KAUG 131153Z AUTO 14004KT 1/4SM FG VV002 02/02 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP190 70001 T00220022 10033 20022 58008

Visibility is 0.2 miles/0.4 Kilometers with very thick fog.

We have had precipitation in various forms in the amount of 0.02 inches over the past 24 hours.

Your 2013 Farmer's Almanac Solar System Guide

If you'd like to get a look at the planets in our Solar System this year, be sure to consult this handy guide on when and where to look.

*Mercury

As an evening star in the western sky, Mercury sets about an hour after the Sun does. As a morning star, it appears in the eastern sky rising about an hour before the Sun. There must be a clear, unobstructed horizon on these occasions. Mercury usually appears as a bright "star" with a yellowish or ochre hue. In the evenings, February 2 to 22, and mornings, March 24 to April 14. Evenings, May 29 to June 19. Mornings, from July 23 to August 9. Evenings, September 25 to October 16. Mornings, November 11 to 30. Mercury will be at its brightest and easiest to spot in the evening sky between February 2 to 22, and brightest and easiest to spot in the morning sky between November 11 to 30.

*Venus

Always brilliant, and shining with a silvery light. Mornings in the eastern sky at dawn from January 1 to 25. Evenings in the western sky at dusk from May 26 to December 31. When the year opens, it will be visible very low on the east-southeast horizon, about 90 minutes before sunrise. Within several weeks, it will move too close to the Sun to be seen. Superior conjunction is on March 28. Venus will be out of view until late spring, when it will emerge above the west-northwest horizon soon after sunset. Venus will gradually increase in prominence through the balance of the year. Its greatest angular distance (elongation) east of the Sun will be on November 1. Venus will attain its greatest brilliancy in the evening sky on December 7. Through December, it will appear as a striking crescent, getting progressively larger and thinner, in telescopes and steadily held binoculars.

*Mars

Like a star with a yellowishorange hue, it can vary considerably in brightness. Evenings from January 1 to February 7. Mornings from June 19 to December 31. This is an off year for Mars. It will pass through conjunction with the Sun on April 18; consequently, it will be too near to the Sun to be visible from midwinter through much of the spring. At conjunction, Mars will be about 226 million miles from the Earth. In June, it will gradually emerge in the morning sky, where it will remain through the balance of the year, and will brighten ever so slowly as its distance from the Earth decreases. By New Year's Eve, that distance will have decreased to 127 million miles, and the planet will be located in the middle of the constellation Virgo, shining at magnitude +0.9, which is as bright as the star Antares. Mars will be at opposition on April 8, 2014.

*Jupiter

Quite brilliant with a silverwhite luster. Evenings from January 1 to May 29. Mornings from July 11 to December 31. Jupiter will not come to opposition during 2013; opposition in 2014 will be on January 5. Brightest in 2013 from December 22 to 31. During this interval, Jupiter will shine like a dazzling silvery "star" of magnitude -2.7 in the middle of the constellation Gemini.

 

*Saturn

Shines like a yellowish-white star of moderate brightness. The famous rings are only visible in a telescope. Mornings from January 1 to April 27. Evenings from April 28 to October 19. Mornings again from October 20 to December 31. Brightest in 2013 from April 14 to May 12. During this interval, Saturn will be located near the border of the constellations Libra and Virgo, shining sedately with a yellowish-white glow at magnitude +0.1 (a trifle dimmer than the similarly hued star, Capella). Saturn arrives at opposition on April 28.

*Uranus

Evenings from January 1 to March 13. Mornings from April 14 to October 2. In the evenings again from October 3 to December 31. Uranus can be glimpsed as a naked-eye object by people who are blessed with good eyesight and a clear, dark sky, as well as the knowledge of exactly where to look (Pisces). It shines at magnitude +5.8 and can be readily identified with good binoculars. A small telescope should also reveal its tiny, greenish disk.

*Neptune

Evenings from January 1 to February 5. Mornings from March 8 to August 25. In the evenings again from August 26 to December 31. Shining at magnitude +7.8, Neptune is only visible with good binoculars or a telescope. It will spend all of 2013 in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius and will come to opposition on August 26.

Joe Rao is the official Astronomer to the Farmers' Almanac