Neptune

Neptune is the 8th and last planet from the Sun in our solar system.

Neptune is an ice giant planet, which means it’s made mostly of icy materials mixed with rock and gas.

Neptune has 16 moons that we know of, with Triton being the largest one.

One year on Neptune lasts 165 Earth years because it takes that long to orbit the Sun.

A day on Neptune is just 16 Earth hours long because it spins very quickly on its axis.

Neptune’s average temperature is about -214°C (-353°F), making it one of the coldest planets in our solar system.

Neptune’s atmosphere is made mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane gas.

Neptune is about 2.8 billion miles (4.5 billion kilometers) away from the Sun.

Neptune is so big that about 57 Earths could fit inside it.

Neptune has no solid surface because it’s made mostly of swirling gases and liquids.

Neptune appears bright blue because the methane in its atmosphere absorbs red light and reflects blue light.

Neptune’s atmosphere has layers of clouds that can create shadows, just like clouds on Earth.

Neptune has a magnetic field 27 times stronger than Earth’s.

If you could stand on Neptune, you would weigh about 14% more than you do on Earth because of its stronger gravity.

Neptune’s winds are the fastest in the solar system, reaching speeds of up to 1,200 miles per hour (2,000 kilometers per hour).

Neptune is about 17 times heavier than Earth.

Neptune has dark spots similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, but they come and go over time.

Neptune’s atmosphere is so deep that scientists think it might go down thousands of miles before reaching anything solid.

Neptune is so far from the Sun that sunlight takes over 4 hours to reach it.

Neptune moves along its orbit at a speed of about 12,000 miles per hour (5.43 km/s).

Neptune’s orbit is slightly tilted compared to most other planets.

Neptune has seasons that last about 40 Earth years each.

Neptune completes one spin on its axis in about 16 Earth hours.

Neptune was actually the farthest planet from the Sun from 1979 to 1999, when Pluto’s oval-shaped orbit brought it closer.

Neptune’s orbit is almost perfectly circular, unlike most other planets that have more oval-shaped orbits.

Neptune travels about 3.4 billion miles (5.5 billion kilometers) in its journey around the Sun.

When Neptune is farthest from Earth, it’s about 2.8 billion miles (4.5 billion kilometers) away.

Even at its closest approach, Neptune is still too far to see from Earth without a telescope.

Neptune’s largest moon, Triton, is bigger than the dwarf planet Pluto.

Neptune has five main rings and four ring arcs.

Neptune’s rings were first discovered in 1984 during a special telescope observation.

Triton orbits Neptune backwards, compared to how most moons orbit their planets.

Scientists think Neptune captured Triton from elsewhere in space billions of years ago.

Neptune’s moon Naiad takes just 7 hours to orbit around the planet.

Neptune’s rings are so dark that they reflect only about 1% of the sunlight that hits them.

Some of Neptune’s moons were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft when it flew past in 1989.

Triton, Neptune’s largest moon, has geysers that shoot nitrogen ice and dust 5 miles (8 km) high into space.

Scientists named all of Neptune’s moons after water spirits and gods from Greek mythology.

Neptune was discovered in 1846 after mathematicians predicted where it should be based on its gravitational effects on Uranus.

Only one spacecraft, Voyager 2, has ever visited Neptune up close.

Voyager 2 took over 12 years to reach Neptune after leaving Earth.

The first close-up pictures of Neptune were taken by Voyager 2 in 1989.

We still use the Hubble Space Telescope to study Neptune from Earth’s orbit.

Voyager 2 discovered six of Neptune’s moons during its flyby.

The James Webb Space Telescope has taken the clearest pictures ever of Neptune’s rings.

Neptune was actually seen by Galileo Galilei in 1612, but he thought it was a star.

Scientists used math to find Neptune before they ever saw it through a telescope.

Neptune has a Great Dark Spot, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.

Neptune’s atmosphere has bands of different colors, just like Jupiter’s.

Neptune has something called “scooter” clouds that race around the planet.