Neptune
Farthest planet from the Sun
Neptune
Planet Profile:
- Equator Diameter:
- 49,528 km
- Orbit Peroid:
- 60,190 days (164.8 years)
- Mass:
- 1.02 × 10^26 kg (17 Earths)
- Effective Temp:
- -214 °C
- Discovered:
- September 23rd 1846
- Discovered by:
- Urbain Le Verrier & Johann Galle
Quick Facts:
- Neptune is the smallest of the ice giants, but has a greater mass than Uranus
- Neptune appears blue because the methane absorbs the red light
- Large storms whirl through its upper atmosphere, and high-speed winds track around the planet at up 600 meters per second
- Neptune has a very thin collection of rings
- Neptune spins on its axis very rapidly, despite its size, the clouds on its equator circle the planet every 18 hours.
Neptune
Moons
- Triton
- Nereid
- Proteus
- Despina
- Larissa
- Galatea
- Thalassa
- Naiad
- + 6 others
Did you know?
Neptune has an incredibly thick atmosphere comprised of 74% hydrogen, 25% helium and approximately 1% methane. Its atmosphere also contains icy clouds and the fastest winds recorded in the solar system.