Planets TonightNeptune in 1997: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Jul 15
Closest (in table)29.139 au4359 million km
Farthest31.138 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-17 21:33 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.9 | 31.139 | Sagittarius | 0.4° |
| 1997-07-21 16:14 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.134 | Sagittarius | 179.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.9 | 31.099 | Sagittarius | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.9 | 31.138 | Sagittarius | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | +7.9 | 31.109 | Sagittarius | 14° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.9 | 31.024 | Sagittarius | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.888 | Sagittarius | 42° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.710 | Sagittarius | 55° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.452 | Sagittarius | 72° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +nan | 30.218 | Capricornus | 85° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 29.947 | Capricornus | 101° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.720 | Capricornus | 114° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.477 | Capricornus | 131° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.8 | 29.318 | Sagittarius | 145° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.192 | Sagittarius | 160° W | Most of the night |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.139 | Sagittarius | 174° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.152 | Sagittarius | 169° E | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.224 | Sagittarius | 156° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.8 | 29.382 | Sagittarius | 139° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +7.8 | 29.560 | Sagittarius | 125° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.8 | 29.804 | Sagittarius | 109° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.8 | 30.038 | Sagittarius | 95° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 30.328 | Sagittarius | 79° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.555 | Sagittarius | 65° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.784 | Sagittarius | 49° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.9 | 30.945 | Sagittarius | 35° 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 1997 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.