Planets TonightNeptune in 2002: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Jul 15
Closest (in table)29.074 au4349 million km
Farthest31.078 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-01-28 22:45 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.9 | 31.080 | Capricornus | 0.1° |
| 2002-08-02 09:56 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.074 | Capricornus | 179.9° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.969 | Capricornus | 27° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 31.052 | Capricornus | 13° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 1 | +7.9 | 31.078 | Capricornus | 4° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 31.037 | Capricornus | 17° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.941 | Capricornus | 31° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.797 | Capricornus | 44° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.569 | Capricornus | 61° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.350 | Capricornus | 74° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.082 | Capricornus | 90° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.846 | Capricornus | 103° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.578 | Capricornus | 120° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.387 | Capricornus | 133° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.217 | Capricornus | 149° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.119 | Capricornus | 162° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.074 | Capricornus | 179° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.101 | Capricornus | 167° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.208 | Capricornus | 150° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.352 | Capricornus | 136° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.8 | 29.567 | Capricornus | 120° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.8 | 29.787 | Capricornus | 107° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 30.075 | Capricornus | 90° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.313 | Capricornus | 76° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.568 | Capricornus | 60° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.760 | Capricornus | 46° 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 2002 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.