Planets TonightNeptune in 1998: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Jul 1
Closest (in table)29.133 au4358 million km
Farthest31.125 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-01-20 07:34 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.9 | 31.129 | Sagittarius | 0.4° |
| 1998-07-24 05:19 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.123 | Capricornus | 179.7° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.9 | 31.076 | Sagittarius | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.9 | 31.125 | Sagittarius | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | +7.9 | 31.108 | Capricornus | 12° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.9 | 31.032 | Capricornus | 26° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.9 | 30.904 | Capricornus | 39° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.733 | Capricornus | 53° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.481 | Capricornus | 69° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +nan | 30.250 | Capricornus | 83° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +nan | 29.978 | Capricornus | 98° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.748 | Capricornus | 112° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.499 | Capricornus | 128° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.332 | Capricornus | 142° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.196 | Capricornus | 158° W | Most of the night |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.133 | Capricornus | 171° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.133 | Capricornus | 172° E | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.196 | Capricornus | 158° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.343 | Capricornus | 141° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +7.8 | 29.514 | Sagittarius | 128° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.8 | 29.752 | Sagittarius | 112° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.8 | 29.984 | Sagittarius | 98° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 30.274 | Sagittarius | 81° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.505 | Capricornus | 67° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.740 | Capricornus | 51° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.908 | Capricornus | 38° 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 1998 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.