Overview
The planet Neptune is the 8th planet from the Sun, at a distance over 30 times the distance the Earth is from the Sun, 4.5 billion km. It is an ice giant, similar to the planet Uranus. Its location was predicted mathematically before it was ever observed by telescope.
The Planet Neptune
The mass of the planet Neptune is about 17 times that of Earth, close to the size and composition of the planet Uranus. It has a dense, hot core of iron, nickel, and silicates, surrounded by a mantle of water ice, ammonia, and methane. Neptune has a large atmosphere, about 80% hydrogen, 19% helium, with methane, clouds of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and other trace compounds. Methane in the atmosphere gives the planet its bright blue color. Storms in the volatile atmosphere create winds of 2,200 km/h. Neptune has a Great Dark Spot, white cloud groups, and dark cyclones that whip around the planet. Its day lasts about 16 hours, and a year lasts over 164 Earth years.
Discovery of Neptune
The planet Neptune is too far away and dim to be visible to the naked eye. In the 19th century, astronomers compared actual observations of the planet Uranus with tables describing its orbital position. The orbit of Uranus seemed to be affected by the gravitational pull of something beyond it. The position of the mystery planet was theorized before a planet was observed within 1° of the location. It was later named Neptune, credited to astronomers in Great Britain and France.
Moons and Rings of Neptune
Neptune has an extensive system of moons and rings, similar to the other giant planets. There are at least five main rings, consisting of darkened ice particles and dust. The rings are less stable than those around Saturn or Jupiter, and contain arcs, gaps, and clumps. At least fourteen moons orbit Neptune. The largest moon, Triton, has a nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide atmosphere of its own. The moons tend to orbit in groups and help to stabilize the ring structure.
Exploration of Neptune
The only space probe to fly by Neptune was Voyager 2 in 1989. It had a trajectory close to the moon Triton. During its exploration, 6 moons were discovered, the ring system was mapped, weather features were probed, and radio emissions were tracked. Other missions have been proposed, including one to fly by all the outermost planets.
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