*** Paul Piorek is editor and publisher of Paul's Local Weather Journal for southwestern Connecticut ... Paul is the on-air meteorologist at WICC 600 AM and 107.3 FM ... Paul is a New York Emmy award winner (2007), five-time Emmy nominee, and four-time winner of the Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters' Association award for Best TV Weathercast (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012) ... Paul was voted Best Local Television Personality by the readers of Fairfield County Weekly Magazine (2012) ... Paul was inducted into the Housatonic Community College Hall of Fame and received the Distinguished Alumni Award (2012) ... The local weather journal is a two-time winner of the Communicator Award of Distinction (2012 & 2013) ... Paul is currently a full-time teacher of Earth Science and Mathematics in Fairfield ... Follow Paul on Twitter @PaulPiorekWICC ...

Friday, September 16, 2011

Waning Gibbous Moon & Jupiter to Shine Brightly Tonight

Another clear and chilly night is ahead with morning low temperatures dipping into the low-to-mid 40s across southwestern Connecticut. This morning's low of 48 degrees at Sikorsky Memorial Airport marked the first time the mercury has dropped into the 40s since May 13, a stretch of 126 days.

If you're going to be outside this evening, make sure to take along your sweater and/or jacket. The local high school football season begins this evening with several intriguing matchups. A number of fairs and carnivals are scheduled this weekend, too. You way even want to start a backyard fire, toast marshmallows, and gaze into the heavens.

The two most visible objects in the Eastern sky during the late-evening hours will put on a brilliant showing this evening. Unfortunately, lingering clouds, light showers, and a gusty wind obscured the view of the Moon and Jupiter last night. However, you'll see a waning gibbous Moon near what appears to be a brilliant silvery non-twinkling "star." That, however, is the planet Jupiter.

Jupiter will rise above the Eastern horizon just before 9 o'clock this evening. The Moon, meanwhile, will be located about six degrees to Jupiter's left. Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures roughly 10 degrees. You will be able to get a perfect view tonight. A couple of hours after Jupiter rises, the planet will have climbed higher above the horizon, and it will gleam with a brighter light.


Now is a good time to start examining the famous Galilean satellites, the four largest Moons of Jupiter. They are Europa, Ganymede, Io, and Callisto. Tonight, you should be able to see all four of them. Three will be on one side (Callisto, Ganymede and Io), while Europa will appear on the other.

Whatever you have planned this weekend, the weather will certainly cooperate. It's the last weekend of Summer, but it will look and feel like early Autumn. Saturday will be partly sunny and cool with a high temperature in the mid 60s. Sunday will be partly-to-mostly sunny with a high in the upper 60s. Have a good weekend.

Paul