Planets TonightNeptune in 2003: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Jul 15
Closest (in table)29.066 au4348 million km
Farthest31.069 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-01-31 08:34 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 31.069 | Capricornus | 0.0° |
| 2003-08-04 22:54 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.064 | Capricornus | 180.0° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.938 | Capricornus | 29° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 31.031 | Capricornus | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 31.069 | Capricornus | 1° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 31.037 | Capricornus | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.951 | Capricornus | 28° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.815 | Capricornus | 42° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.595 | Capricornus | 58° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.380 | Capricornus | 72° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.113 | Capricornus | 87° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.877 | Capricornus | 101° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.605 | Capricornus | 117° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.408 | Capricornus | 131° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.229 | Capricornus | 146° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.123 | Capricornus | 160° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.066 | Capricornus | 177° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.082 | Capricornus | 170° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.177 | Capricornus | 153° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.313 | Capricornus | 139° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.520 | Capricornus | 123° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.8 | 29.736 | Capricornus | 109° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 30.023 | Capricornus | 92° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.262 | Capricornus | 78° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.521 | Capricornus | 62° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.719 | Capricornus | 48° 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 2003 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.