Neptune Tonight: Visibility, Position and Best Viewing Time
Is Neptune Visible Tonight?
From your location, Neptune is visible from sunset until sunrise. The current position, altitude, direction, and tonight’s rise and set times are shown below.
When Is the Best Time to See Neptune Tonight?
The earliest practical time to observe Neptune tonight is around 19:56, when it is already about 37° above the horizon. It reaches its highest point of about 52° around 22:36.
When Is Neptune’s Next Opposition?
The next opposition of Neptune is on September 29. Around opposition, the planet is opposite the Sun in the sky and is generally at its best for observing.
Where is Neptune right now?
Neptune is located in the constellation Pisces, approximately 28.88 AU (4,320,685,702 km) from Earth. It is currently below the horizon and is not visible from your location.
Twilight begins at 17:46 local time. At that moment, Neptune will be 14° above the horizon toward the east.
Twilight begins at 17:46 local time. At that moment, Neptune will be 14° above the horizon toward the east.
Neptune visibility on 2026-10-02
Neptune Visible from sunset until sunrise
Neptune rise and set timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
| Neptune rise | 16:37 | |
| Sunset | 16:49 | 3° |
| Civil sunset | 17:16 | 8° |
| Twilight start (−12°) | 17:46 | 14° |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 18:17 | 20° |
Moonrise, 67.7% illuminated  | 20:09 | 40° |
| Neptune transit | 22:36 | 52° |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 03:37 | 12° |
| Twilight end (−12°) | 04:08 | 6° |
| Neptune set | 04:34 | |
| Moonset | 11:59 | -48° |
Track Neptune position throughout the night
← 2 October 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe Neptune changing position in the night sky.
Upcoming Events
| Time | Description | Constellation |
|---|---|---|
| 13 December 2026 | Retrograde motion of Neptune ends | Pisces |
| 25 March 2027 at 15:00 | Pisces | |
| 10 July 2027 | Retrograde motion of Neptune begins | Pisces |
| 29 September 2027 | Neptune is at opposition | Pisces |
Current position in the Solar System: Neptune
| Date | Fri, 2 October 2026 |
| Distance from Earth | 28.883 AU (4,320,835,299km) |
| Elongation | 174° |
| Angular diameter | 2.4" |
| Magnitude | 7.7 |
Finder Chart for Neptune
Double-click to unlock the map.
| Object name | Neptune |
| Field of view | |
| Limiting magnitude | |
| Neptune coordinates | 0.21172, -0.17164 |
| Center coordinates | 0.21172, -0.17164 |
Neptune Passage Through Night
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Current position of Neptune
| Time | 04:58 |
| Latitude | 37.3541 |
| Longitude | -121.955 |
| Elevation | -4° |
| Azimuth | 273° |
Here you can see the current position of Neptune on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool lets you track its movement throughout the night with accurate, up-to-date information.
When Is Neptune Visible Throughout the Year?
Neptune will remain visible until March 7, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky.
| Date | Fri, 2 October 2026 |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 18:13 |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 03:31 |
| Astronomical observing duration | 9h 18m |
| Rise | 16:36 |
| Set | 04:35 |
| Elevation at transit | 53° |
| Transit time | 22:36 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 00h 12m 39s", Dec: 00° 10' 34s |
| Magnitude | 8 |
| Constellation | Pisces |
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of Neptune, including its daily appearances and transit times. The vertical axis shows the hours of the day and the horizontal axis spans the year. The reddish area marks when the object is above the horizon, while the white line marks its daily transit.
You can also see when Neptune is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
You can also see when Neptune is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.
Astrometric and Physical Parameters of Neptune
Coordinates and Visibility
| Right Ascension | 00h 12m 42s |
| Declination | 00° 10′ 18″ |
| Magnitude | 7.7 |
| Constellation | Pisces |
| Elevation | -3.8° |
| Azimuth | 272.7° |
| Distance to Earth | 28.882 AU |
| Angular diameter | 2.4″ |
| Elongation from Sun | 174.3° |
| Illuminated fraction | 100% |
Basic Properties
| Mass, kg | 1.02409E+26 |
| Mean density, g/cm³ | 1.638 |
Orbit
| Orbital period, days | 60189 |
Rotation
| Sidereal rotation period, days | 16.11+-0.01 hr |
Surface and Atmosphere
| Surface gravity, m/s² | 11.41+-0.03 |
| Escape velocity, km/s | 23.5 km/s |
| Mean temperature, K | 72+-2 K |
Brightness
| Visual magnitude V(1,0) | -6.87 |
Data Acknowledgment
Solar-system physical and orbital parameters are provided by the Solar System OpenData API maintained by Le Système Solaire. We thank its contributors for making these open data available.