Solar System/Neptune

From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Photo of Neptune.

Neptune is the farthest of the eight planets from the Sun and is the fourth largest, with a diameter of 49572 kilometers (3.9 times that of Earth). It is one of the four gas giants. If Neptune had a solid surface and you stood on it, you would weigh 12% more than you do on Earth.

Orbit[edit | edit source]

Neptune orbits the sun once every 164.79 Earth-years, at an average distance of 30.06 AU (Earth-Sun distances) and with an orbital eccentricity of 0.010, making its orbit more nearly circular than that of any other planet except Venus. Neptune is so far away from the Sun that light from the Sun takes an average of 4 hours 10 minutes 25 seconds to get to Neptune.

Rotation[edit | edit source]

Neptune rotates about its axis prograde (in the direction of its solar orbit) once every 16 hours 6.5 minutes, at an axial tilt of 28.31°.

Physical characteristics[edit | edit source]

Atmosphere[edit | edit source]

Spots and clouds[edit | edit source]

Great Dark Spot of Neptune.

Cloud layers[edit | edit source]

High altitude clouds of Neptune cast shadows on lower clouds.

Winds and currents[edit | edit source]

Temperature[edit | edit source]

Magnetic Field[edit | edit source]

Rings, arcs and dust[edit | edit source]

Ring system of Neptune.

Satellites[edit | edit source]

Triton[edit | edit source]

Triton

Surface[edit | edit source]

Surface Relief Features[edit | edit source]

Activity on Triton[edit | edit source]

Nereid, Proteus, and Larissa[edit | edit source]