Neptune is the eighth planet in the solar system, as per its distance from the sun. It also became the last planet in our solar system, after Pluto was re-categorized as a dwarf planet. Neptune is almost 4 times the size of Earth and is 30 times as far away from the sun as Earth. Its axis tilts about 28 degrees from the perpendicular position, causing sun to heat its northern and southern halves alternately, resulting in seasons and temperature changes. To know some more interesting and fun facts about Neptune, read further.
Interesting & Fun Facts About Neptune
- Neptune is the fourth largest planet among the eight main planets in our Solar System.
- Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited Neptune, in 1989.
- Neptune's atmospheric composition comprises of hydrogen, helium, methane, traces of ammonia and water.
- Neptune looks blue in color. This is due to the absorption of red light by methane in the atmosphere.
- Amongst all the eight planets in the Solar System, Neptune has the strongest wind flow. The wind blows in a westerly direction, at a speed of 2,000 km/hour.
- There is a cloud that moves around Neptune about every 16 hours. It is known as "The Scooter".
- In Roman Mythology, Neptune is the God of the Sea.
- Neptune's moon, Triton, is slowly getting closer to it. It is believed that finally, the moon will get so close that it will get torn apart by Neptune's gravity and, possibly, form rings more spectacular than Saturn's.
- Like Jupiter's Great Red Spot, Neptune also has dark spots. However, these spots disappear and reappear on different parts of the planet, unlike Jupiter's spot.
- Neptune, sometimes, orbits the Sun further away than Pluto, making it the most distant planet in the Solar System. It returned to its usual position, as the second farthest planet from the Sun, in December 1999.
- Neptune has 11 known satellites, of which Triton is the largest one.
- Neptune's moon, Triton orbits in the direction opposite to the planet's rotation. It is the only large moon in the Solar System to do this.
- Neptune has three prominent rings and one faint ring. Some parts of these rings are brighter than others and appear like arcs orbiting the planet.
- Neptune completes its rotation in about 16 hours and 7 minutes.
- It takes 165 years for Neptune to revolve around the Sun. Since its discovery in 1846, the planet has not yet completed a full orbit.
- Neptune's moon, Triton has the coldest temperatures measured in the Solar System, about -230°c.
