Neptune By Maxwell Salvadore

History Discovered by Urbain Le Verrier and Johann Galle Discovered by Urbain Le Verrier and Johann Galle Discovered on September 23 rd, 1846 Discovered on September 23 rd, 1846 Discovered by observations by Galileo, Discovered by observations by Galileo, he thought it was a star though. Verrier he thought it was a star though. Verrier later took Galileo’s work and realized it was a planet

Distances 8th planet from Sun 8th planet from Sun Distance from Earth 4,313,041,920 km Distance from Earth 4,313,041,920 km Distance from Sun 4,503,000,000 km Distance from Sun 4,503,000,000 km

Planet Measurements Mass: *10 26 ( Earths or 5.15*10 -5 Suns) Mass: *10 26 ( Earths or 5.15*10 -5 Suns) Volume: 6.254*10 13 (54.74 Earths) Volume: 6.254*10 13 (54.74 Earths) Density: g/cm 3 (Can’t float in water) Density: g/cm 3 (Can’t float in water) Gravity: m/s 2 Gravity: m/s 2

Orbit and Rotation Revolution/Orbit/Year: years (most recent orbit occurred on July 12 th, 2011) Revolution/Orbit/Year: years (most recent orbit occurred on July 12 th, 2011) Rotation/Day: 16 hours and 6 min (So there are roughly 60,148 Earth days in one Neptune year and 89,774 Neptune days in one Neptune year…) Rotation/Day: 16 hours and 6 min (So there are roughly 60,148 Earth days in one Neptune year and 89,774 Neptune days in one Neptune year…)

Atmosphere 80% Hydrogen 80% Hydrogen 19% Helium 19% Helium 1% Other 1% Other Very thick atmosphere Very thick atmosphere Clouds composed of methane ice Clouds composed of methane ice

Climate Temperatures ranging from -201°C to -221° unlike Florida which ranges from 23° C to 31 Temperatures ranging from -201°C to -221° unlike Florida which ranges from 23° C to 31 Extremely dynamic storm systems with winds reaching almost 600 m/s or 1,340 mph Extremely dynamic storm systems with winds reaching almost 600 m/s or 1,340 mph 2 main storms on Neptune. 2 main storms on Neptune. The Great Dark Spot and (surprisingly) The Great Dark Spot and (surprisingly) The Small Dark Spot.

Composition and Appearance One of the 4 gas giants and made mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane. One of the 4 gas giants and made mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane. Mantle made of water, ammonia, and methane Mantle made of water, ammonia, and methane Core made of silicates, nickel, and iron. Core made of silicates, nickel, and iron. Planet is completely blue except for Planet is completely blue except for some spots that are much darker (storms) and some spots that are white (methane ice clouds) (methane ice clouds)

What would happen if I decided to be an idiot and visit Neptune without a space suit? Well… first if the vacuum of space hasn’t killed you yet you would first freeze to death due to the “surface” (gas) temperature of -210°C. You would then start to be thrown violently by the 900 mph winds. If that isn’t life threatening you would suffocate due to the fact that there is kind of no oxygen on Neptune. You would then fall at an alarming rate of m/s 2, then after 2 seconds you would be falling at 22.3 m/s 2, then m/s 2 and so on. If all of this still hasn’t kill you you are now plummeting towards the core of Neptune that is around 100,000 times the gravity on Earth (9.82 m/s 2 ). If you haven’t died yet you’ve probably broken some sort of record… Well… first if the vacuum of space hasn’t killed you yet you would first freeze to death due to the “surface” (gas) temperature of -210°C. You would then start to be thrown violently by the 900 mph winds. If that isn’t life threatening you would suffocate due to the fact that there is kind of no oxygen on Neptune. You would then fall at an alarming rate of m/s 2, then after 2 seconds you would be falling at 22.3 m/s 2, then m/s 2 and so on. If all of this still hasn’t kill you you are now plummeting towards the core of Neptune that is around 100,000 times the gravity on Earth (9.82 m/s 2 ). If you haven’t died yet you’ve probably broken some sort of record…

Rings and moons Has 14 known moons. Its first moon was discovered by William Lassell only 17 days after the discovery of Neptune itself. Has 14 known moons. Its first moon was discovered by William Lassell only 17 days after the discovery of Neptune itself. Neptune’s rings we discovered in 1989 by Voyager 2. There are 3 very fain rings made if dust and ice. Neptune’s rings we discovered in 1989 by Voyager 2. There are 3 very fain rings made if dust and ice.

Would life be possible? Unless we find materials strong enough to sustain the 1,340 mph winds, a thick atmosphere, and strong gravity we aren’t going to Neptune.

Bibliography "Catalog Page for PIA02245." Catalog Page for PIA N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Catalog Page for PIA02245." Catalog Page for PIA N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan Lunine, Jonathan I. "The Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune." The Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan Lunine, Jonathan I. "The Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune." The Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Neptune." Neptune. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Neptune." Neptune. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Solar System Exploration: Planets: Our Solar System: Overview." Solar System Exploration: Planets: Our Solar System: Overview. NASA, n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Solar System Exploration: Planets: Our Solar System: Overview." Solar System Exploration: Planets: Our Solar System: Overview. NASA, n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Ultraviolet Spectrometer Observations of Neptune and Triton." Ultraviolet Spectrometer Observations of Neptune and Triton. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan "Ultraviolet Spectrometer Observations of Neptune and Triton." Ultraviolet Spectrometer Observations of Neptune and Triton. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan Williams, David R. "Neptune Fact Sheet." Neptune Fact Sheet. NASA, n.d. Web. 01 Jan Williams, David R. "Neptune Fact Sheet." Neptune Fact Sheet. NASA, n.d. Web. 01 Jan