The fourth largest of all the
planets, Neptune is easily picked out from its vibrant blue color. It is
the eighth planet from the sun, and has a temperature around -218C(-360F).
Which is a little odd, since Uranus has around the same temperature, but
it is a billion miles closer to the Sun than Neptune. This causes
astronomers to believe that Neptune has an internal heating system.
Yet because it is so far away, it is a difficult planet to study.
Its atmosphere is made up of hydrogen, helium, and methane gas. It
has a high reflecting rate, and reflects 84% of the light that falls on
it. But because of its magnitude, it can never be seen with the naked
eye. It can be seen through a telescope, but only as a small greenish-blue
disk with no markings.
 The discovery of Neptune was a great achievement for mathematic astronomy. French Astronomer Urbain Jean Joseph Leverrier tried to explain perturbations in Uranus' orbit. Leverrier calculated the existence and position of a new planet beyond Uranus, but had not had the chance to visually see it. Later that year, German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle discovered Neptune just one degree off where Leverrier had calculated it to be. |
 |
