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Oppositions A planet or asteroid is said to be at opposition when it is on the opposite side of the sky as the sun. The planet is up all night at this time. It appears biggest in telescopes because Earth is closest to it around this time. At opposition, the planet may be slightly less than 180° from the sun. That's because it may be a little above or below the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the line on which the sun travels as Earth orbits it. Opposition for any given planet or asteroid doesn't occur at the same time every year, because as Earth orbits the sun so does the other object. And since none of the planets have perfectly circular orbits, the distance at opposition also varies from event to event. Only objects farther from the sun than Earth can reach opposition. Mercury and Venus reach points of greatest elongation far less than 180°
Here are the dates and times (in Universal Time) for the planets Mars through Neptune from 2020 to 2039 along with their distances. Distances are given in
astronomical units (the average Earth-Sun distance), kilometers, and miles. For the 2030s, the constellation in which the object appears has been added. |
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| Mars |
October 13, 2020 - 23:26 in Pisces, 0.419 AU (approx. 62.7 million km or 38.9 million miles) from Earth. December 8, 2022 - 05:42 in Taurus, 0.550 AU (approx. 82.3 million km or 51.1 million miles) from Earth. January 16, 2025 - 02:39 in Gemini, 0.644 AU (approx. 96.3 million km or 59.9 million miles) from Earth. February 19, 2027 - 15:51 in Leo, 0.678 AU (approx. 101 million km or 63 million miles) from Earth. March 25, 2029 - 07:49 in Virgo, 0.649 AU (approx. 97.1 million km or 60.3 million miles) from Earth. May 4, 2031 - 12:04 in Libra, 0.559 AU (approx. 83.6 million km or 52 million miles) from Earth June 28, 2033 - 01:30 in Sagittarius, 0.427 AU (approx. 63.9 million km or 39.7 million miles) from Earth September 15, 2035 - 19:39 in Aquarius, 0.382 AU (approx. 57.1 million km or 35.5 million miles) from Earth November 19, 2037 - 09:10 in Taurus, 0.500 AU (approx. 74.8 million km or 46.5 million miles) from Earth |
| Jupiter |
July 14, 2020 - 07:59 in Sagittarius, 4.140 AU (approx. 619.3 million km or 384.8 million miles) from Earth August 20, 2021 - 00:29 in Capricornus, 4.013 AU (approx. 600.3 million km or 373 million miles) from Earth. September 26, 2022 - 19:33 in Pisces, 3.953 AU (approx. 591.4 million km or 367.5 million miles) from Earth. November 3, 2023 - 05:03 in Aries, 3.983 AU (approx. 595.8 million km or 370.2 million miles) from Earth. December 7, 2024 - 20:58 in Taurus, 4.090 AU (approx. 611.9 million km or 380.2 million miles) from Earth. January 10, 2026 - 08:42 in Gemini, 4.232 AU (approx. 633.1 million km or 393.4 million miles) from Earth. February 11, 2027 - 00:29 in Leo, 4.361 AU (approx. 652.4 million km or 405.4 million miles) from Earth. March 12, 2028 - 15:37 in Leo, 4.440 AU (approx. 664.2 million km or 412.7 million miles) from Earth. April 12, 2029 - 04:05 in Virgo, 4.449 AU (approx. 665.6 million km or 413.6 million miles) from Earth. May 13, 2030 - 11:33 in Libra, 4.385 AU (approx. 656 million km or 407.6 million miles) from Earth June 15, 2031 - 09:20 in Ophiuchus, 4.265 AU (approx. 638 million km or 396.5 million miles) from Earth July 19, 2032 - 08:34 in Sagittarius, 4.121 AU (approx. 616.5 million km or 383.1 million miles) from Earth August 25, 2033 - 05:40 in Aquarius, 4.002 AU (approx. 598.7 million km or 372 million miles) from Earth October 2, 2034 - 00:58 in Cetus, 3.953 AU (approx. 591.4 million km or 367.5 million miles) from Earth November 8, 2035 - 05:43 in Aries, 3.994 AU (approx. 597.5 million km or 371.3 million miles) from Earth December 12, 2036 - 14:42 in Taurus, 4.107 AU (approx. 614.4 million km or 381.8 million miles) from Earth January 14, 2038 - 19:58 in Gemini, 4.250 AU (approx. 635.8 million km or 395.1 million miles) from Earth February 15, 2039 - 08:02 in Leo, 4.373 AU (approx. 654.2 million km or 406.5 million miles) from Earth |
| Saturn |
July 20, 2020 - 22:28 in Sagittarius, 8.995 AU (approx. 1346 million km or 836.1 million miles) from Earth. August 2, 2021 - 06:14 in Capricornus, 8.935 AU (approx. 1337 million km or 830.6 million miles) from Earth. August 14, 2022 - 17:11 in Capricornus, 8.857 AU (approx. 1325 million km or 823.3 million miles) from Earth. August 27, 2023 - 08:28 in Aquarius, 8.763 AU (approx. 1311 million km or 814.6 million miles) from Earth. September 8, 2024 - 04:35 in Aquarius, 8.658 AU (approx. 1295 million km or 804.8 million miles) from Earth. September 21, 2025 - 05:46 in Pisces, 8.547 AU (approx. 1279 million km or 794.5 million miles) from Earth. October 4, 2026 - 12:29 in Cetus, 8.434 AU (approx. 1262 million km or 784 million miles) from Earth. October 18, 2027 - 00:36 in Pisces, 8.326 AU (approx. 1246 million km or 774 million miles) from Earth. October 30, 2028 - 17:34 in Aries, 8.228 AU (approx. 1231 million km or 764.8 million miles) from Earth. November 13, 2029 - 15:00 in Aries, 8.144 AU (approx. 1218 million km or 757 million miles) from Earth. November 27, 2030 - 15:55 in Taurus, 8.082 AU (approx. 1209 million km or 751.3 million miles) from Earth December 11, 2031 - 19:00 in Taurus, 8.043 AU (approx. 1203 million km or 747.6 million miles) from Earth December 24, 2032 - 22:55 in Gemini, 8.032 AU (approx. 1202 million km or 746.6 million miles) from Earth January 8, 2034 - 02:12 in Gemini, 8.048 AU (approx. 1204 million km or 748.1 million miles) from Earth January 22, 2035 - 03:25 in Cancer, 8.092 AU (approx. 1211 million km or 752.2 million miles) from Earth February 5, 2036 - 01:32 in Cancer, 8.159 AU (approx. 1221 million km or 758.4 million miles) from Earth February 17, 2037 - 19:27 in Leo, 8.247 AU (approx. 1234 million km or 766.6 million miles) from Earth March 3, 2038 - 08:33 in Leo, 8.350 AU (approx. 1249 million km or 776.2 million miles) from Earth March 16, 2039 - 16:13 in Virgo, 8.461 AU (approx. 1266 million km or 786.5 million miles) from Earth |
| Uranus |
October 30, 2020 - 15:53 in Aries, 18.788 AU (approx. 2810.6 million km or 1746.5 million miles) from Earth. November 4, 2021 - 23:58 in Aries, 18.739 AU (approx. 2803.3 million km or 1741.9 million miles) from Earth. November 9, 2022 - 08:26 in Aries, 18.687 AU (approx. 2795.5 million km or 1737.1 million miles) from Earth. November 13, 2023 - 17:21 in Aries, 18.631 AU (approx. 2787.2 million km or 1731.9 million miles) from Earth. November 17, 2024 - 02:45 in Taurus, 18.572 AU (approx. 2778.3 million km or 1726.4 million miles) from Earth. November 21, 2025 - 12:25 in Taurus, 18.509 AU (approx. 2768.9 million km or 1720.5 million miles) from Earth. November 25, 2026 - 22:41 in Taurus, 18.444 AU (approx. 2759.2 million km or 1714.5 million miles) from Earth. November 30, 2027 - 09:22 in Taurus, 18.377 AU (approx. 2749.2 million km or 1708.2 million miles) from Earth. December 3, 2028 - 20:29 in Taurus, 18.308 AU (approx. 2738.8 million km or 1701.8 million miles) from Earth. December 8, 2029 - 08:11 in Taurus, 18.239 AU (approx. 2728.5 million km or 1695.4 million miles) from Earth. December 12, 2030 - 20:36 in Taurus, 18.171 AU (approx. 2718.3 million km or 1689.1 million miles) from Earth December 17, 2031 - 09:27 in Taurus, 18.103 AU (approx. 2708.2 million km or 1682.8 million miles) from Earth December 20, 2032 - 23:11 in Taurus, 18.036 AU (approx. 2698.1 million km or 1676.6 million miles) from Earth December 25, 2033 - 13:28 in Gemini, 17.970 AU (approx. 2688.3 million km or 1670.4 million miles) from Earth December 30, 2034 - 04:38 in Gemini, 17.906 AU (approx. 2678.7 million km or 1664.5 million miles) from Earth January 3, 2036 - 20:30 in Gemini, 17.843 AU (approx. 2669.3 million km or 1658.6 million miles) from Earth January 7, 2037 - 13:14 in Gemini, 17.781 AU (approx. 2660 million km or 1652.8 million miles) from Earth January 12, 2038 - 06:42 in Gemini, 17.720 AU (approx. 2650.9 million km or 1647.2 million miles) from Earth January 17, 2039 - 01:03 in Gemini, 17.661 AU (approx. 2642 million km or 1641.7 million miles) from Earth |
| Neptune |
September 11, 2020 - 20:26 in Aquarius, 28.922 AU (approx. 4326.7 million km or 2688.5 million miles) from Earth. September 14, 2021 - 09:21 in Aquarius, 28.917 AU (approx. 4325.9 million km or 2688 million miles) from Earth. September 16, 2022 - 22:21 in Aquarius, 28.910 AU (approx. 4324.9 million km or 2687.4 million miles) from Earth. September 19, 2023 - 11:18 in Pisces, 28.902 AU (approx. 4323.7 million km or 2686.6 million miles) from Earth. September 21, 2024 - 00:17 in Pisces, 28.893 AU (approx. 4322.3 million km or 2685.8 million miles) from Earth. September 23, 2025 - 12:54 in Pisces, 28.884 AU (approx. 4321 million km or 2684.9 million miles) from Earth. September 26, 2026 - 01:36 in Pisces, 28.876 AU (approx. 4319.8 million km or 2684.2 million miles) from Earth. September 28, 2027 - 14:19 in Pisces, 28.868 AU (approx. 4318.6 million km or 2683.4 million miles) from Earth. September 30, 2028 - 02:48 in Cetus, 28.862 AU (approx. 4317.7 million km or 2682.9 million miles) from Earth. October 2, 2029 - 15:24 in Cetus, 28.857 AU (approx. 4316.9 million km or 2682.4 million miles) from Earth. October 5, 2030 - 03:46 in Pisces, 28.853 AU (approx. 4316.3 million km or 2682.1 million miles) from Earth October 7, 2031 - 16:22 in Pisces, 28.850 AU (approx. 4315.9 million km or 2681.8 million miles) from Earth October 9, 2032 - 04:45 in Pisces, 28.847 AU (approx. 4315.4 million km or 2681.5 million miles) from Earth October 11, 2033 - 17:07 in Pisces, 28.845 AU (approx. 4315.2 million km or 2681.3 million miles) from Earth October 14, 2034 - 05:30 in Pisces, 28.842 AU (approx. 4314.7 million km or 2681 million miles) from Earth October 16, 2035 - 17:58 in Pisces, 28.838 AU (approx. 4314.1 million km or 2680.7 million miles) from Earth October 18, 2036 - 06:13 in Pisces, 28.833 AU (approx. 4313.4 million km or 2680.2 million miles) from Earth October 20, 2037 - 18:22 in Pisces, 28.828 AU (approx. 4312.6 million km or 2679.7 million miles) from Earth October 23, 2038 - 06:30 in Pisces, 28.823 AU (approx. 4311.9 million km or 2679.3 million miles) from Earth October 25, 2039 - 18:24 in Pisces, 28.819 AU (approx. 4311.3 million km or 2678.9 million miles from Earth) |