Planets TonightNeptune in 1971: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.8around May 15
Closest (in table)29.318 au4386 million km
Farthest31.301 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-05-23 20:49 | Opposition | +7.8 | 29.309 | Libra | 178.3° |
| 1971-11-26 02:42 | Conjunction with the Sun | +8.0 | 31.306 | Scorpius | 1.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +8.0 | 31.090 | Scorpius | 38° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | +8.0 | 30.918 | Scorpius | 52° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | +8.0 | 30.663 | Scorpius | 69° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | +7.9 | 30.429 | Scorpius | 83° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.188 | Scorpius | 97° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.9 | 29.954 | Scorpius | 111° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.9 | 29.698 | Scorpius | 128° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.9 | 29.526 | Scorpius | 142° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.9 | 29.386 | Scorpius | 158° W | Most of the night |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.321 | Scorpius | 172° W | Most of the night |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.318 | Libra | 171° E | Most of the night |
| Jun 15 | +7.9 | 29.379 | Libra | 158° E | Most of the night |
| Jul 1 | +7.9 | 29.512 | Libra | 142° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.9 | 29.677 | Libra | 128° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.9 | 29.924 | Libra | 112° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +7.9 | 30.151 | Libra | 99° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | +7.9 | 30.438 | Libra | 82° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +8.0 | 30.666 | Libra | 69° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +8.0 | 30.902 | Libra | 54° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +8.0 | 31.074 | Libra | 40° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +8.0 | 31.224 | Libra | 24° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +8.0 | 31.292 | Scorpius | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | +8.0 | 31.301 | Scorpius | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | +8.0 | 31.248 | Scorpius | 19° 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
Neptune is brightest around May 1971 (magnitude +7.8); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.