Neptune, the most distant planet in the solar system, is visible from India this evening.

Neptune, the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun, will be clearly visible from Earth when it reaches opposition.

The planet with the greenish-blue glow will reach opposition on September 21, 2024, when it will be most clearly visible. Tonight, however, it will rise in the night sky over India.

This astronomical event occurs when Earth passes directly between Neptune and the Sun, allowing skywatchers to catch a glimpse of this distant ice giant that is normally invisible to the naked eye.

WHAT HAPPENS?

Neptune is in opposition. A planetary opposition occurs when a planet is directly opposite the Sun from the perspective of the Earth.

This means that the Earth is between the planet and the Sun, so the planet is fully illuminated in the night sky and usually appears brighter. It is also the best time to observe planets, as they are closest to Earth during opposition.

Neptune will be at opposition on September 21st, when it will be best visible from Earth. Opposition only occurs once a year for Neptune, making it a rare event that skywatchers won’t want to miss.

WILL IT BE VISIBLE?

Neptune will shine at magnitude +7.8, reaching its brightest brightness of the year.

However, because it is so dim—about five times dimmer than the faintest stars visible in the dark sky—binoculars or a telescope are required to view it.

WILL IT BE VISIBLE IN INDIA?

For observers in India, particularly New Delhi, Neptune will be visible most of the night from September 20 to 21, rising in the east as the sun sets in the west.

When viewed through a telescope, the planet is clearly visible as a small bluish dot in the sky.

Neptune’s characteristic bluish-green hue is caused by the methane in its atmosphere, which absorbs red light.

The planet lies on the inner edge of the Kuiper Belt, a region filled with icy bodies and dwarf planets such as Pluto and Eris. Neptune has an atmosphere composed mostly of hydrogen and helium, and its interior consists of squishy rock and ice.

HOW TO SEE NEPTUNE IN THE NIGHT SKY?

To find Neptune in the night sky, enthusiasts can look to the constellation Pisces.

It will be located southeast of Lambda Piscium, a star that serves as a good reference point for finding the planet. Through a telescope, observers will be able to see Neptune as a small disk rather than just a point of light.

This opposition provides both astronomers and casual stargazers with an excellent opportunity to explore the most distant major planet in our solar system.

When Neptune reaches its closest point to Earth—about 28.9 astronomical units away—its visibility will remain good until February 2025, leaving plenty of time to observe and study this fascinating world.