Planets TonightNeptune in 2008: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Aug 1
Closest (in table)29.025 au4342 million km
Farthest31.027 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-02-11 11:03 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 31.028 | Capricornus | 0.3° |
| 2008-08-15 16:42 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.025 | Capricornus | 179.7° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.787 | Capricornus | 40° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 30.920 | Capricornus | 26° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 31.012 | Capricornus | 10° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 31.027 | Capricornus | 4° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.979 | Capricornus | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.880 | Capricornus | 32° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.696 | Capricornus | 48° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.502 | Capricornus | 62° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.250 | Capricornus | 77° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 30.014 | Capricornus | 90° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.731 | Capricornus | 107° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.514 | Capricornus | 120° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.302 | Capricornus | 136° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.159 | Capricornus | 149° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.052 | Capricornus | 166° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.025 | Capricornus | 180° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.069 | Capricornus | 163° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.167 | Capricornus | 149° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.339 | Capricornus | 133° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.7 | 29.534 | Capricornus | 119° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 29.807 | Capricornus | 102° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 30.047 | Capricornus | 88° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.318 | Capricornus | 72° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.537 | Capricornus | 58° 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 2008 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.