Planets TonightNeptune in 1978: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.8around May 15
Closest (in table)29.277 au4380 million km
Farthest31.264 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-06-08 11:11 | Opposition | +7.8 | 29.271 | Ophiuchus | 178.5° |
| 1978-12-10 19:59 | Conjunction with the Sun | +8.0 | 31.268 | Ophiuchus | 1.4° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +8.0 | 31.185 | Ophiuchus | 24° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | +8.0 | 31.062 | Ophiuchus | 37° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | +8.0 | 30.852 | Ophiuchus | 54° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | +8.0 | 30.641 | Ophiuchus | 68° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.409 | Ophiuchus | 82° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.9 | 30.168 | Ophiuchus | 96° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.9 | 29.886 | Ophiuchus | 113° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.9 | 29.677 | Ophiuchus | 127° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.9 | 29.480 | Ophiuchus | 142° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.357 | Ophiuchus | 156° W | Most of the night |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.279 | Ophiuchus | 173° W | Most of the night |
| Jun 15 | +7.8 | 29.277 | Ophiuchus | 173° E | Most of the night |
| Jul 1 | +7.8 | 29.344 | Ophiuchus | 157° E | Most of the night |
| Jul 15 | +7.9 | 29.460 | Ophiuchus | 144° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.9 | 29.661 | Ophiuchus | 127° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +7.9 | 29.865 | Ophiuchus | 114° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | +nan | 30.141 | Ophiuchus | 97° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +nan | 30.378 | Ophiuchus | 84° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +8.0 | 30.641 | Ophiuchus | 68° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +8.0 | 30.849 | Ophiuchus | 55° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +8.0 | 31.057 | Ophiuchus | 38° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +8.0 | 31.179 | Ophiuchus | 25° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +8.0 | 31.257 | Ophiuchus | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Dec 15 | +8.0 | 31.264 | Ophiuchus | 5° 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 1978 (magnitude +7.8); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.