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Neptune is the outermost gas giant in our solar system. For most of its 165 year orbit it is the eighth planet from the Sun and occasionally the ninth due to Pluto's eccentricity. It is the fourth largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass; Neptune is more massive than its near twin Uranus as its stronger gravitational field has compressed it to a higher density. The planet is named after the Roman god of the sea. Its astronomical symbol is a stylized version of the god's trident (♆).
Neptune's atmosphere is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with traces of methane that account for the planet's blue appearance. Neptune's blue colour is much more vivid than that of Uranus, which has a similar amount of methane, and an unknown component is presumed to cause the intense colour. "Neptune overview," Solar System Exploration, NASA. Neptune also has the strongest winds of any planet in the solar system, with estimates as high as 2,500 km/h. At the time of the 1989 Voyager 2 flyby, it had in its southern hemisphere a Great Dark Spot comparable to the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.
Faint dark colored rings have been detected around the blue planet, but are much less substantial than those of Saturn. When these rings were discovered by a team lead by Edward Guinan, it was thought that they might not be complete but this was disproved by Voyager 2. Neptune possesses nine confirmed moons and four awaiting confirmation. Neptune's largest moon, Triton, is notable for its retrograde orbit, extreme cold (38K), and extremely tenuous (14 microbar) nitrogen/methane atmosphere.
More on [ Neptune ]
#Neptune is now (11h30m01s UT) setting at 24°35'46.4'' #Aquarius opposite #ascendant at Sydney, AUS
acmc_clock (Robert von Heeren) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:30:08 -0000
#Neptune is now (11h30m01s UT) setting at 24°35'46.4'' #Aquarius opposite #ascendant at Sydney, AUS
#Neptune is now (11h00m02s UT) setting at 24°35'44.2'' #Aquarius opposite #ascendant at Tokio, J
acmc_clock_asia (Robert von Heeren) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 11:00:08 -0000
#Neptune is now (11h00m02s UT) setting at 24°35'44.2'' #Aquarius opposite #ascendant at Tokio, J
Scratched: South 4 (4) Blue Neptune
ib_scratchings (interbet ) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:28:14 -0000
Scratched: South 4 (4) Blue Neptune
#Neptune is now (10h00m01s UT) rising at 24°35'39.8'' #Aquarius conjunct #ascendant at Bordeaux, F
acmc_clock_euro (Robert von Heeren) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:00:45 -0000
#Neptune is now (10h00m01s UT) rising at 24°35'39.8'' #Aquarius conjunct #ascendant at Bordeaux, F
#Neptune is now (10h00m01s UT) culminating at 24°35'39.8'' #Aquarius conjunct #mediumcoeli at Delhi, IND
acmc_clock_asia (Robert von Heeren) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:00:21 -0000
#Neptune is now (10h00m01s UT) culminating at 24°35'39.8'' #Aquarius conjunct #mediumcoeli at Delhi, IND
#Neptune is now (10h00m01s UT) rising at 24°35'39.8'' #Aquarius conjunct #ascendant at Paris, F
acmc_clock_euro (Robert von Heeren) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:00:07 -0000
#Neptune is now (10h00m01s UT) rising at 24°35'39.8'' #Aquarius conjunct #ascendant at Paris, F
Astronomy 161: Neptune - General features and some pictures.
Encarta Encyclopedia: Neptune - Information on the planet Neptune.
Meta Description: [ Neptune (planet), eighth planet in distance from the Sun, fourth largest planet in diameter, and third largest in mass in the solar system. Neptune’s... ]
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Meta Description: [ St John's College; Part of Cambridge University ]
Mathematical Discovery of Neptune - Another interesting history on how planets can be discovered mathematically.
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Meta Description: [ Neptune, from ORRERY: the Solar System in action. ]
Neptune114 - Its atmosphere, rings, moons, appearance, and links to related sites.
Meta Description: [ Site about the planet Neptune with information on its rings, moons, atmosphere, chemistry and with pictures took by voyager. ]
NSSDC Photo Gallery: Neptune - Select images of the planet, with brief captions.
Meta Description: [ NSSDC Photo Gallery: Neptune - A collection of images of the planet Neptune and its satellites ]
Royal Greenwich Observatory: Neptune - Basic overview.
Views of the Solar System: Neptune - Views, animations, general information and data of the planet.
Meta Description: [ Neptune is the outermost planet of the gas giants. It has an equatorial diameter of 49500 km. If Neptune were hollow, it could contain nearly 60 Earths. Neptune orbits the Sun every 165 years. ]
Welcome to the Planets: Neptune - Planetary profile and vital statistics.
Windows to the Universe: Neptune - Overview of several aspects of the planet. Versions available for beginner, intermediate and advanced level users.
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