Planets TonightNeptune in 1976: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.8around May 15
Closest (in table)29.281 au4380 million km
Farthest31.274 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-06-03 10:20 | Opposition | +7.8 | 29.280 | Ophiuchus | 178.4° |
| 1976-12-06 01:36 | Conjunction with the Sun | +8.0 | 31.277 | 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 | 31.167 | Ophiuchus | 27° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | +8.0 | 31.031 | Ophiuchus | 41° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | +8.0 | 30.808 | Ophiuchus | 58° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | +8.0 | 30.589 | Ophiuchus | 72° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.336 | Ophiuchus | 87° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.9 | 30.095 | Ophiuchus | 101° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.9 | 29.819 | Ophiuchus | 118° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.9 | 29.621 | Ophiuchus | 132° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.9 | 29.441 | Ophiuchus | 147° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.336 | Ophiuchus | 161° W | Most of the night |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.281 | Ophiuchus | 178° W | Most of the night |
| Jun 15 | +7.8 | 29.300 | Ophiuchus | 168° E | Most of the night |
| Jul 1 | +7.9 | 29.389 | Ophiuchus | 152° E | Most of the night |
| Jul 15 | +7.9 | 29.522 | Ophiuchus | 139° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.9 | 29.739 | Ophiuchus | 122° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +7.9 | 29.952 | Ophiuchus | 109° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | +nan | 30.234 | Ophiuchus | 92° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +7.9 | 30.470 | Ophiuchus | 79° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +8.0 | 30.725 | Ophiuchus | 64° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +8.0 | 30.923 | Ophiuchus | 50° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +8.0 | 31.113 | Ophiuchus | 34° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +8.0 | 31.219 | Ophiuchus | 20° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +8.0 | 31.274 | Ophiuchus | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | +8.0 | 31.262 | Ophiuchus | 9° W | Too close to the Sun |
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 1976 (magnitude +7.8); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.