Planets TonightNeptune in 1996: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Jul 1
Closest (in table)29.146 au4360 million km
Farthest31.148 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.8
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-01-16 11:53 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.9 | 31.149 | Sagittarius | 0.5° |
| 1996-07-19 02:55 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.144 | Sagittarius | 179.5° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.9 | 31.115 | Sagittarius | 15° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Jan 15 | +7.9 | 31.148 | Sagittarius | 1° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | +7.9 | 31.112 | Sagittarius | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | +7.9 | 31.021 | Sagittarius | 29° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.869 | Sagittarius | 44° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.685 | Sagittarius | 58° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.421 | Sagittarius | 74° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +nan | 30.186 | Sagittarius | 88° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 29.915 | Sagittarius | 103° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.691 | Sagittarius | 117° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.455 | Sagittarius | 133° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.8 | 29.303 | Sagittarius | 147° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.189 | Sagittarius | 163° W | Most of the night |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.146 | Sagittarius | 176° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.171 | Sagittarius | 167° E | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.8 | 29.253 | Sagittarius | 153° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.8 | 29.421 | Sagittarius | 136° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +7.8 | 29.606 | Sagittarius | 122° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.8 | 29.855 | Sagittarius | 107° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.8 | 30.090 | Sagittarius | 93° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 30.379 | Sagittarius | 76° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.603 | Sagittarius | 62° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.9 | 30.826 | Sagittarius | 47° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.9 | 30.979 | Sagittarius | 33° E | Evening 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 July 1996 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.