35 Beautiful Facts about Neptune

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published June 8, 2018

A person weighing 100 pounds (45 kilos) on Earth would weigh 110 pounds (50 kilos) on Neptune. Neptune's gravitational pull is more similar to Earth's than any other planet in the solar system._[2]
Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun, at about 3 billion miles (5 billion kilometers). That's about 30 times the distance between Earth and the sun._[2]
Neptune is the only planet in the solar system that you can't see from Earth without a telescope. The blue planet is about 2.7 billion miles (4.3 billion kilometers) away from Earth._[2]
It takes Neptune 165 Earth years to orbit the sun._[2]

Neptune's moons are also named after Greek and Roman water gods

The planet Neptune is named after the Roman god of the sea because the blue planet reminded astronomers of Earth's oceans._[2]
In contrast to Earth's 24-hour day, Neptune has a 16-hour day._[2]
Pluto's orbit sometimes crosses Neptune's orbit, but they never collide._[2]
Astronomers believe that Neptune's core may be as hot as the surface of the sun._[2]
There is no solid ground on Neptune like there is on Earth. Neptune's atmosphere gradually becomes liquid and then an icy core._[5]
Storms on Neptune can last anywhere from a few weeks to hundreds of years._[2]
Neptune has 14 known moons made of rock and ice. One of its moons is named after Despina, who, in Greek mythology, is one of Neptune's daughters._[2]
One of Neptune's moons, Triton, may be the coldest place in our solar system. Its temperature can be as low as -391 F (-235 C). It's volcanoes even erupt ice._[2]
Neptune was originally going to be called "Le Verrier's Planet," after French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier. He was the first to hypothesize that a planet may lay beyond Uranus._[2]

Le Verrier—without leaving his study, without even looking at the sky—had found the unknown planet [Neptune] solely by mathematical calculation, and, as it were, touched it with the tip of his pen!

- Camille Flammarion, Astronomy for Amateurs

There is a bright, wispy spot on Neptune nicknamed "Scooter." The spot changes shape and moves around the planet. Scientists are unsure what exactly Scooter is._[5]
So far, only one space probe has reached Neptune. Launched into space in 1977, Voyager 2 flew by Neptune on August 25, 1989._[2]
Neptune has a strong, internal heat source. The planet produces twice as much heat as it receives from the sun._[5]
Methane gas in Neptune's atmosphere makes the planet appear blue. Methane absorbs red light and reflects bluer colors._[5]
Like Saturn, Neptune has rings. However, Neptune's rings are not as colorful or beautiful, and Neptune only has only five principle known rings. Some parts of Neptune's rings are so thin that they are almost invisible._[2]

Neptune has rings like Saturn and a storm spot like Jupiter

Neptune is the fourth largest planet in the solar system._[5]
Each summer and winter on Neptune lasts 41 years._[5]
Neptune is 72 times larger than Earth, and its diameter is 4 times Earth's diameter._[5]
Neptune has five primary rings, but they are thin and hard to see. One ring features three distinct clumps that astronomers have named Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity._[1]
Astronomers have measured stronger winds on Neptune than on any other planet in the solar system. Winds can reach over 1,200 miles (1,930 km) per hour, which is 10 times stronger than the most powerful hurricanes on Earth._[2]

The mighty winds of Neptune

Just like Jupiter has a Great Red Spot, Neptune has a Great Dark Spot. While Jupiter's spot is red, hundreds of years old, and relatively stable, Neptune's spot is white, young, and comes and goes._[5]
On July 11, 2011, Neptune completed its first full orbit since its discovery in 1846._[5]
Neptune is smaller than all the other gas planets in the solar system, which are Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus._[2]
Though Neptune is the smallest gas planet in the solar system, it is the most dense._[2]
Triton, Neptune's largest moon, orbits the planet backward relative to Neptune's other moons. At some point, Triton will be torn apart by Neptune's gravitational forces and a ring around the planet._[2]

Johann Gottfried Galle was the first person to see Neptune and recognize it as a planet

Even though Johann Gottfried Galle visually “discovered” Neptune in 1846, Galileo actually saw the blue planet in 1613, but he thought it was a star because of its slow orbit and great distance from Earth._[5]
Neptune is 17 times heavier than Earth and 58 times larger in volume._[2]
Neptune has five rings. They are named after astronomers Adams, Arago, Lassell, Le Verrier, and Galle._[1]
The magnetic force on Neptune is 27 times greater than that on Earth._[3]
Neptune is the first planet whose existence was predicted by mathematical equation before empirical observation with a telescope._[5]
The symbol for Neptune is a stylized version of the god Neptune's trident._[2]
In Japan, Korea, and China, Neptune is called "Sea King Star."_[4]