According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the body responsible for the classification and characterization of planets, the system solar is formed by eight planets, obeying the following order from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
Through mathematical calculations it was possible to identify Neptune. This fact occurred in 1846, when astronomers analyzed gravitational perturbations in the orbit of Uranus, which is the closest planet to Neptune. More information was obtained in 1989, using the Voyager 2 space probe.
The last planet in the solar system, with the Sun as a reference, Neptune has a diameter of 49,528 kilometers, being the fourth largest in size. This celestial body, like Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, is considered a gaseous planet, whose atmosphere is mainly composed of hydrogen, helium and methane.
Neptune has a bluish color due to the concentration of methane gas. Another peculiar feature is the Great Dark Spot, which is equivalent in size to the Earth. So far, 13 natural satellites (Moons) of this planet have been identified, the two most important being Tristan and Nereid.
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Neptune's average distance from the Sun is approximately 4.5 billion kilometers, a fact that directly influences the local temperature: minus 200 degrees Celsius. In addition to low temperatures, winds can reach up to 2,000 kilometers per hour.
The most distant planet from the Sun, Neptune has an extensive orbit. Thus, the translation movement (displacement around the Sun) is the longest among the planets in the solar system, completed in a time equivalent to 164 Earth years. Therefore, a year on Neptune lasts for 164 years on Earth. The rotation movement (displacement around its own axis) is performed in 16 terrestrial hours.
By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FRANCISCO, Wagner de Cerqueira e. "Neptune"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/netuno-2.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
