Planets TonightJupiter in 2003: brightness, position and events
Brightest-2.6around Feb 1
Closest (in table)4.327 au647 million km
Farthest6.378 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year-2.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-02-02 18:11 | Opposition | -2.6 | 4.327 | Cancer | 179.1° |
| 2003-08-22 19:07 | Conjunction with the Sun | -1.7 | 6.384 | Leo | 0.8° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | -2.5 | 4.480 | Cancer | 143° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | -2.6 | 4.376 | Cancer | 159° W | Most of the night |
| Feb 1 | -2.6 | 4.327 | Cancer | 178° W | Most of the night |
| Feb 15 | -2.6 | 4.355 | Cancer | 165° E | Most of the night |
| Mar 1 | -2.5 | 4.442 | Cancer | 150° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 15 | -2.4 | 4.581 | Cancer | 135° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 1 | -2.3 | 4.801 | Cancer | 117° E | Evening sky |
| Apr 15 | -2.2 | 5.011 | Cancer | 104° E | Evening sky |
| May 1 | -2.1 | 5.265 | Cancer | 89° E | Evening sky |
| May 15 | -2.0 | 5.487 | Cancer | 77° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | -1.9 | 5.740 | Cancer | 63° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | -1.9 | 5.928 | Cancer | 51° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | -1.8 | 6.109 | Leo | 39° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | -1.8 | 6.233 | Leo | 28° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | -1.7 | 6.336 | Leo | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | -1.7 | 6.378 | Leo | 6° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 1 | -1.7 | 6.375 | Leo | 7° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Sep 15 | -1.7 | 6.327 | Leo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 1 | -1.8 | 6.225 | Leo | 30° W | Morning sky |
| Oct 15 | -1.8 | 6.096 | Leo | 41° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 1 | -1.8 | 5.895 | Leo | 55° W | Morning sky |
| Nov 15 | -1.9 | 5.701 | Leo | 67° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | -2.0 | 5.457 | Leo | 81° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | -2.1 | 5.235 | Leo | 94° W | Morning sky |
Computed with the JPL DE421 ephemeris and Skyfield (times in JST). Magnitude and distance are for 12:00 JST on each date. Visibility is a rough guide for mid-northern latitudes such as Japan.
About this page
Jupiter is brightest around February 2003 (magnitude -2.6); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.