NEPTUNE

Neptune’s surface is very different than most of the planet’s

surfaces. Neptune has a rocky inner core, which is completely surrounded by water. Its atmosphere is made up of seventy-four percent hydrogen, twenty-five percent helium, and one-percent methane. The Climate Neptune has a very frigid climate. The water surrounding Neptune’s core is freezing cold. Neptune also has the highest recorded wind in the whole solar system. The winds were reported at over 2,000 kilometers per hour. The storms that occur on Neptune move very quickly. The atmosphere on Neptune is so cold that some of the clouds are actually frozen water. The Rings Contrary to what many people believe, Saturn isn’t the only planet with rings. Neptune, along with many other planets, has rings also. Neptune’s rings are narrow and contain concentrations of particles called “ring arcs.” The rings are made of dark matter and scientists do not know exactly what they are made of. One system of rings has an unusual arrangement which is somewhat twisted. Scientists think that these rings are twisted because the original material of the rings was in clumps that formed streaks as the material orbited Neptune. The rings around Neptune are so faint that when the satellite, The Voyager, took pictures of it, the brightness of the planet mad it so the rings were almost impossible to see. The Naming Like most planets, Neptune was named after a Roman god. Neptune was the god of water. Neptune, the planet, was named after the god Neptune because of its blue color. Neptune’s largest moon was named after Triton, the god of the sea and Neptune’s son. Observing Neptune Since Neptune is the eighth planet away from the sun it is very hard to see even if you are using a telescope. Because the planet Pluto’s orbit is quite random, Neptune is sometimes the ninth planet away from the sun making the view even worse.