Planets (+ Pluto): observational data
Planet
Angular equatorial diameter (arcsec)
Mean visual
magnitude b
at unit
distance
at minimum
distance a
at maximum
distance a
at mean
greatest
elongation
at mean
opposition
distance
Mercury
6.7
12.3
4.6
7.3
—
0.0
Venus
16.7
63.1
9.6
24.2
—
–4.4
Mars
9.4
25.1
3.5
—
17.9
–2.0
Jupiter
197.1
49.9
30.5
—
46.9
–2.7
Saturn
166.2
20.7
15.0
—
19.5
+0.7 c
Uranus
70.5
4.1
3.3
—
3.9
+5.5
Neptune
68.3
2.4
2.2
—
2.3
+7.8
Pluto
3.3
0.1
0.1
—
0.1
+15

a For the period 2000–2100.
b Greatest elongation for Mercury and Venus; mean opposition distance for Mars to Pluto.
c With rings closed; –0.3 with rings open.


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