Planets TonightNeptune in 2012: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Aug 1
Closest (in table)28.994 au4338 million km
Farthest30.985 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-02-20 05:40 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 30.989 | Aquarius | 0.5° |
| 2012-08-24 21:31 | Opposition | +7.7 | 28.984 | 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 | 30.641 | Aquarius | 49° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 30.803 | Aquarius | 35° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 30.935 | Aquarius | 18° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 30.985 | Aquarius | 5° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.976 | Aquarius | 10° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.910 | Aquarius | 23° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.761 | Aquarius | 40° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.591 | Aquarius | 53° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.356 | Aquarius | 68° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 30.128 | Aquarius | 82° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.841 | Aquarius | 98° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.7 | 29.613 | Aquarius | 111° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.378 | Aquarius | 127° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.207 | Aquarius | 140° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.059 | Aquarius | 157° W | Most of the night |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 28.995 | Aquarius | 171° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 28.994 | Aquarius | 172° E | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 29.056 | Aquarius | 158° E | Most of the night |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.194 | Aquarius | 142° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +7.7 | 29.364 | Aquarius | 128° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.7 | 29.618 | Aquarius | 111° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.8 | 29.852 | Aquarius | 97° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 30.128 | Aquarius | 81° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.360 | Aquarius | 67° 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 2012 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.