Planets TonightNeptune in 2006: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Aug 15
Closest (in table)29.043 au4345 million km
Farthest31.039 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-02-06 14:32 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 31.043 | Capricornus | 0.2° |
| 2006-08-11 14:13 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.040 | Capricornus | 179.8° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.854 | Capricornus | 35° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 30.970 | Capricornus | 22° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 31.039 | Capricornus | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 31.033 | Capricornus | 9° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.972 | Capricornus | 22° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.858 | Capricornus | 36° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.659 | Capricornus | 52° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.457 | Capricornus | 66° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.198 | Capricornus | 81° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 29.961 | Capricornus | 94° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.681 | Capricornus | 111° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.471 | Capricornus | 124° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.271 | Capricornus | 140° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.142 | Capricornus | 153° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.053 | Capricornus | 170° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.043 | Capricornus | 176° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.107 | Capricornus | 159° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.220 | Capricornus | 145° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.406 | Capricornus | 129° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.8 | 29.610 | Capricornus | 116° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 29.889 | Capricornus | 98° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.130 | Capricornus | 84° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.397 | Capricornus | 69° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.609 | Capricornus | 55° 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 August 2006 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.