SOLAR SYSTEM

Neptune the blue planet

Neptune is the last of eight planets in our solar system (Pluto was demoted). Neptune is one of the outer "ice giant" planets and has five faint rings.


Neptune 4K image (pan-zoom)

Pan, zoom, or go full-screen with this megapixel image of Neptune.

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  Original image: NASA


Neptune facts

CHARACTERISTIC VALUE
Magnitude: 7.8
Mass: 1.02 x 1026 kg
Radius: 24,746 km
Density: 1.64 gm/cm3
Distance from Sun: 4.5 billion km
Rotational period: 16.1 hours
Orbital period: 164.8 days
Orbital velocity: 5.45 km/sec
Eccentricity of orbit: 0.01
Tilt of axis: 28.3 °
Inclination of orbit: 1.8 °
Surface gravity: 11 m/sec2
Escape velocity: 23.5 km/sec
Albedo: 0.41
Temperature (at 1 bar): -200°C mean
Atmosphere: H2 = 85%
He = 13%
CH4 = 2%
Moons: 14


Neptune features

Neptune has no solid surface, so only a few atmospheric features are all that are visible.



FEATURE TYPE
Great Dark Spot storm
Dark Spot Jr storm
Scooter persistent cloud


Rings of Neptune

There are five faint dusty rings around Neptune:

NAME DISTANCE SHEPHERD
Galle Ring 40,900 - 42,900 km
Le Verrier Ring 53,200 km Despina
Lassell Ring 53,200 - 57,200 km
Arago Ring 57,200 km
Adams Ring Arcs 62,932 km Galatea


Moons of Neptune (3 out of 14 shown)

Neptune has 14 known moons. Triton is the largest moon and is actually a dwarf planet captured by Neptune's gravity. Neptune's ring shepherd moons are Despina (Le Verrier Ring) and Galatea (Adams Ring). Only three moons are shown - for information on all 14 moons, see Moons of Neptune.


Neptune vs. Earth ratios

Planet sizes are to relative scale.






Two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.

- Albert Einstein