Dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds, Neptune is the last of the hydrogen and helium gas giants in our solar system. More than 30 times as far from the sun as Earth, the planet takes almost 165 Earth years to orbit our sun. In 2011 Neptune completed its first orbit since its discovery in 1846.
Neptune was predicted by two men (independently), John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier, who accounted for the irregular motion of Uranus and correctly predicted the orbital elements of a near-by planet.
In 1846, Johann Galle discovered the planet and asked to name the planet for Le Verrier. The request was not acceptable to the international astronomical community. Instead, Neptune was named for the Roman god of the sea.
The planet's 13 moons are named after nymphs and sea gods in Greek mythology. The US Spacecraft Voyager 2 discovered 6 of the moons. "A 14th tiny, very dim, moon was discovered in 2013 and awaits official recognition"(provisionally designated S/2004 N 1).
Neptune has 6 rings. Voyager 2 confirmed the rings have four thick regions (which are clumps of dust) called arcs.
Introduction
Neptune's Moon
Mathematically Predicted BEFORE Observed
Neptune's Rings
Naming of Neptune
Neptune
Meet Planet
