Planets TonightNeptune in 2011: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Aug 1
Closest (in table)29.003 au4339 million km
Farthest30.999 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-02-17 18:55 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 31.000 | Aquarius | 0.5° |
| 2011-08-23 08:25 | Opposition | +7.7 | 28.995 | Aquarius | 179.4° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.683 | Capricornus | 46° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 30.838 | Capricornus | 33° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 30.959 | Aquarius | 16° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 30.999 | Aquarius | 2° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.983 | Aquarius | 11° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.911 | Aquarius | 25° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.756 | Aquarius | 41° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.582 | Aquarius | 54° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.343 | Aquarius | 70° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 30.114 | Aquarius | 83° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.827 | Aquarius | 99° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.600 | Aquarius | 113° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.368 | Aquarius | 128° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.202 | Aquarius | 142° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.061 | Aquarius | 158° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 29.003 | Aquarius | 172° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 29.009 | Aquarius | 171° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.078 | Aquarius | 157° E | Most of the night |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.221 | Aquarius | 141° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.7 | 29.396 | Aquarius | 127° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.8 | 29.653 | Aquarius | 110° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 29.889 | Aquarius | 96° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.164 | Aquarius | 80° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.394 | Aquarius | 66° 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 2011 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.