Planets TonightNeptune in 2016: brightness, position and events
Brightest+7.7around Aug 15
Closest (in table)28.945 au4330 million km
Farthest30.949 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+7.7
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-29 00:46 | Conjunction with the Sun | +7.8 | 30.949 | Aquarius | 0.8° |
| 2016-09-03 01:37 | Opposition | +7.7 | 28.945 | Aquarius | 179.1° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +7.8 | 30.477 | Aquarius | 57° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +7.8 | 30.665 | Aquarius | 44° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +7.8 | 30.835 | Aquarius | 27° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +7.8 | 30.919 | Aquarius | 13° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 1 | +7.8 | 30.949 | Aquarius | 2° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +7.8 | 30.918 | Aquarius | 15° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 1 | +7.8 | 30.808 | Aquarius | 31° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 15 | +7.8 | 30.665 | Aquarius | 44° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +7.8 | 30.453 | Aquarius | 60° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +7.8 | 30.238 | Aquarius | 73° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +7.8 | 29.956 | Aquarius | 89° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +7.8 | 29.721 | Aquarius | 102° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +7.7 | 29.469 | Aquarius | 118° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +7.7 | 29.275 | Aquarius | 131° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | +7.7 | 29.091 | Aquarius | 148° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | +7.7 | 28.992 | Aquarius | 162° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 1 | +7.7 | 28.945 | Aquarius | 178° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +7.7 | 28.971 | Aquarius | 168° E | Most of the night |
| Oct 1 | +7.7 | 29.070 | Aquarius | 152° E | Most of the night |
| Oct 15 | +7.7 | 29.212 | Aquarius | 137° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 1 | +7.7 | 29.441 | Aquarius | 120° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +7.7 | 29.664 | Aquarius | 106° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +7.8 | 29.937 | Aquarius | 90° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +7.8 | 30.177 | Aquarius | 76° 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 2016 (magnitude +7.7); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.