Planets TonightNeptune in 1973: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.8around May 15
Closest (in table)29.302 au4384 million km
Farthest31.295 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-05-27 21:31 | Opposition | +7.8 | 29.299 | Scorpius | 178.3° |
| 1973-11-29 21:41 | Conjunction with the Sun | +8.0 | 31.295 | Ophiuchus | 1.5° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +8.0 | 31.121 | Scorpius | 34° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | +8.0 | 30.961 | Scorpius | 48° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | +8.0 | 30.716 | Ophiuchus | 65° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | +7.9 | 30.487 | Ophiuchus | 79° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.246 | Ophiuchus | 93° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.9 | 30.008 | Ophiuchus | 107° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.9 | 29.744 | Ophiuchus | 124° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.9 | 29.561 | Ophiuchus | 138° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.9 | 29.405 | Scorpius | 154° W | Most of the night |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.324 | Scorpius | 168° W | Most of the night |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.302 | Scorpius | 175° E | Most of the night |
| Jun 15 | +7.9 | 29.346 | Scorpius | 162° E | Most of the night |
| Jul 1 | +7.9 | 29.464 | Scorpius | 146° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.9 | 29.617 | Scorpius | 132° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.9 | 29.853 | Scorpius | 116° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +7.9 | 30.076 | Scorpius | 102° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | +7.9 | 30.361 | Scorpius | 86° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +8.0 | 30.593 | Scorpius | 73° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +8.0 | 30.838 | Scorpius | 57° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +8.0 | 31.020 | Scorpius | 44° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +8.0 | 31.186 | Scorpius | 28° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +8.0 | 31.268 | Scorpius | 14° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 1 | +8.0 | 31.295 | Ophiuchus | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | +8.0 | 31.257 | Ophiuchus | 15° 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 1973 (magnitude +7.8); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.