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Observing Space
Introduction
Telescopes
Invisible Astronomy
Section 1.4
Section 1.5
Section 1.6
Section 1.7
Section 1.8
Section 1.9
Section 1.10
Section 1.11
Section 1.12
Section 1.13
Section 1.14
Section 1.15
Exploring Space
Introduction
Pioneers
Shuttles
Launchers
ISS
USA in Space
UK in Space
China in Space
France in Space
Russia in Space
The X-Prize
Section 2.12
Section 2.13
Section 2.14
Section 2.15
Planets
Introduction
Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Section 3.11
Section 3.12
Section 3.13
Section 3.14
Section 3.15
Moons
Section 4.1
Section 4.2
Section 4.3
Section 4.4
Section 4.5
Section 4.6
Section 4.7
Section 4.8
Section 4.9
Section 4.10
Section 4.11
Section 4.12
Section 4.13
Section 4.14
Section 4.15
Stars
Introduction
The Sun
Sirius
Canopus
Alpha Centauri
Arcturus
Others
Section 5.8
Section 5.9
Section 5.10
Section 5.11
Section 5.12
Section 5.13
Section 5.14
Section 5.15
Comets, Meteors & Asteroids
Deep Impact Mission
Section 6.2
Section 6.3
Section 6.4
Section 6.5
Section 6.6
Section 6.7
Section 6.8
Section 6.9
Section 6.10
Section 6.11
Section 6.12
Section 6.13
Section 6.14
Section 6.15
Galaxies
Section 7.1
Section 7.2
Section 7.3
Section 7.4
Section 7.5
Section 7.6
Section 7.7
Section 7.8
Section 7.9
Section 7.10
Section 7.11
Section 7.12
Section 7.13
Section 7.14
Section 7.15
The Universe
Section 8.1
Section 8.2
Section 8.3
Section 8.4
Section 8.5
Section 8.6
Section 8.7
Section 8.8
Section 8.9
Section 8.10
Section 8.11
Section 8.12
Section 8.13
Section 8.14
Section 8.15
Eclipses
Solar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse 2008
What Eclipses Have Taught Us
Significant Eclipses in History
The Blood Red Moon
Section 9.7
Section 9.8
Section 9.9
Section 9.10
Section 9.11
Section 9.12
Section 9.13
Section 9.14
Section 9.15
Amazing Facts
Section 10.1
Section 10.2
Section 10.3
Section 10.4
Section 10.5
Section 10.6
Section 10.7
Section 10.8
Section 10.9
Section 10.10
Section 10.11
Section 10.12
Section 10.13
Section 10.14
Section 10.15
Play: Comet Impact
Section 11.1
Section 11.2
Section 11.3
Section 11.4
Section 11.5
Section 11.6
Section 11.7
Section 11.8
Section 11.9
Section 11.10
Section 11.11
Section 11.12
Section 11.13
Section 11.14
Section 11.15
Space Blog
Section 12.1
Section 12.2
Section 12.3
Section 12.4
Section 12.5
Section 12.6
Section 12.7
Section 12.8
Section 12.9
Section 12.10
Section 12.11
Section 12.12
Section 12.13
Section 12.14
Section 12.15
Section 13
Section 13.1
Section 13.2
Section 13.3
Section 13.4
Section 13.5
Section 13.6
Section 13.7
Section 13.8
Section 13.9
Section 13.10
Section 13.11
Section 13.12
Section 13.13
Section 13.14
Section 13.15
Section 14
Section 14.1
Section 14.2
Section 14.3
Section 14.4
Section 14.5
Section 14.6
Section 14.7
Section 14.8
Section 14.9
Section 14.10
Section 14.11
Section 14.12
Section 14.13
Section 14.14
Section 14.15
Section 15
Section 15.1
Section 15.2
Section 15.3
Section 15.4
Section 15.5
Section 15.6
Section 15.7
Section 15.8
Section 15.9
Section 15.10
Section 15.11
Section 15.12
Section 15.13
Section 15.14
Section 15.15
Planets
Neptune

Neptune is named after the Roman god of the sea and its main moon, Triton, is named after the three-pronged spear the god carried.

Neptune is often seen as Uranus’ twin planet; they are more or less the same size, both blue in colour and formed by similar gases.

The fastest winds in the Solar System were recorded on Neptune at 2,000km/h (1,240miles/h). At points during its orbit, Neptune passes Pluto and becomes the furthest planet from the Sun.

We haven’t seen it pass through a complete orbit since it was discovered in 1846, because it takes 165 years!

Average distance from the Sun:     4,504,000,000 km 
                                                   (2,800,000,000 miles)

Length of year:                            165 Earth years

Diameter:                                    49,528km (30,775 miles)

Average temperature:                  -364°F (-220°C)

Photos: NASA
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