Planet 8: Neptune
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Neptune

View Neptune in Celestia

 

Neptune, the Roman god of the sea
Is even MORE blue than Uranus
Though they are both just as wide
(Being almost the same size)
They are also similar in their gas
But Neptune is NOT turned on its side


Neptune, of all the gas giants
Appears to be most dense
And, compared to
Uranus, Jupiter and Saturn
Neptune is also the smallest

View Neptune's orbit in Celestia

 


View Triton  in Celestia

 

Neptune has over ten moons
A special one is Triton
Special for something so near
(And also to us rather dear)
Its very own atmosphere!

Most moons don’t have the gravity
To hold such gases down
But Triton’s mass gives it a way
With a “bubble” all of its own

If you journeyed to Neptune
In a space ship with NASA power
You would find incredible winds
(Even faster than those on Saturn)
Blowing at 2,000 kilometers per hour
(Almost 20 times hurricane force)

Try to see Neptune’s rings
All four are very faint
Can you see some of its over 10 moons
Colored so pretty with nature’s space paint

Challege #1      

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Music Complements of Catherine Fowler

Quick facts  
Planet Neptune
AU 30.1
Mean Temperature
(C°)
-200
Equatorial Diameter
(km)
49,532
Volume
(Earth=1)
44
Mass
(Earth=1)
17.2
Density
(gm/cm3)
1.76
Orbit Velocity
(in km/s)
5
Orbit Time
(Earth Days)
60,189
Orbit Time
(Earth Years)
163.72
Rotation Time
(Earth Hours)
19.1
Rotation Time
(Earth Days)
0.67
Number of Moons >10

Math and Science Standards in Challenges
Celestia Exploration Activity - learn.arc.nasa.gov