FACTS:

Satellites: 13 moons


  • Neptune's discovery, on September 23, 1846, is credited jointly to Urbain Le Verrier, John Couch Adams, and Johann Galle. Neptune was the first planet discovered by mathematical calculations rather than empirical observations.

  • Neptune has the strongest recorded sustained winds in the Solar System with wind speeds as high as 1,300 mph!

  • After Voyager 2 completed its fly-by of Uranus, it went on to complete the Galaxy Grand Tour by flying-by Neptune and imaging it. Voyager 2 showed us that Neptune has a Great Dark Spot similar to the Great Red Spot of Jupiter.
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NEPTUNE

INFORMATION:

  • MASS: ≈ 1.0243×1026 kg    (About 17 times the size of Earth!)
  • DIAMETER: ≈ 30,250 miles
  • TEMPERATURE: ≈ -373° F ("surface")
Earth