Planets TonightNeptune in 2009: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Aug 1
Closest (in table)29.017 au4341 million km
Farthest31.020 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-02-12 21:40 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 31.020 | Capricornus | 0.4° |
| 2009-08-18 05:54 | Opposition | +7.7 | 29.016 | Capricornus | 179.6° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.762 | Capricornus | 42° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 30.900 | Capricornus | 28° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 30.999 | Capricornus | 11° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 31.020 | Capricornus | 3° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.983 | Capricornus | 16° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.893 | Capricornus | 30° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.718 | Capricornus | 46° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.531 | Capricornus | 59° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.282 | Capricornus | 75° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 30.049 | Capricornus | 88° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.764 | Capricornus | 104° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.543 | Capricornus | 118° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.324 | Capricornus | 133° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.173 | Capricornus | 147° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.054 | Capricornus | 164° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.017 | Capricornus | 177° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.048 | Capricornus | 166° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.136 | Capricornus | 152° E | Most of the night |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.300 | Capricornus | 136° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.7 | 29.488 | Capricornus | 122° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 29.756 | Capricornus | 105° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 29.995 | Capricornus | 91° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.268 | Capricornus | 75° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.492 | Capricornus | 61° 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 2009 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.