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1845 |
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Year mathematicians predicted
the existence of Neptune. The planet was discovered
a year later. |
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3,000,000,000 |
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Average distance (in miles)
from Neptune to the sun. About 4.5 billion km. |
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165 |
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Earth years it takes Neptune
to travel around our Sun. A Neptunian year. |
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2011 |
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Year Neptune will complete
one orbit of the sun since its discovery in 1846. |
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16 |
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Earth hours in a Neptunian
day. |
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4 |
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Number of planets - including
Neptune - visited by Voyager 2 in a 12-year journey. |
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Most
of the time Neptune is the eighth planet from our Sun. Sometimes
Pluto's
odd orbit brings it closer to the Sun. For the next 230
years or so, all you have to remember is that Neptune is
the eighth planet. It takes a long time for these distant
planets to travel around the sun.
Neptune is the fourth largest planet in our solar system. About 60 Earths could fit inside. Neptune is named for the Roman god of the sea.
WHAT'S IT LIKE ON NEPTUNE?Windy. Neptune may be the windiest planet in the solar system. Winds tear through the clouds at more than 1,200 mph (2,000 kph). The winds blew Neptune's Great Dark Spot – a storm as big as Earth – across the planet at 700 mph (1,100 kph). That spot has since disappeared. A new one appeared on a different part of planet.
Neptune gets its blue color from a layer of methane gas above the clouds. Methane absorbs red light so only blue colors show up when we look at Neptune.
Scientists think there might be an ocean of super hot water under Neptune's cold clouds. It does not boil away because of the incredible pressure. That pressure makes it impossible for a spacecraft – or person – to drop deep into the clouds.
Neptune has four rings and 11 moons. Neptune's largest moon, Triton, gets colder than Pluto. Voyager 2 spotted geysers of nitrogen gas on Triton.
NEPTUNE CHALLENGE
Neptune is one of four 'gas giants' in our solar system.
What are the names of the other gas planets? How are they
similar to Neptune? How are they different?
MISSIONS TO NEPTUNE
Featured Mission: Voyager
2
Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit Neptune. The
spacecraft found six of Neptune's 11 moons.
Source: NASA
