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Neptune
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Discovery |
Discovered by |
Urbain Le Verrier
John Couch Adams
Johann Galle |
Discovered on |
September 23, 1846 |
Orbital characteristics (Epoch J2000) |
Semi-major axis |
4,498,252,900 km
30.068 963 48 AU |
Orbital circumference |
28.263 Tm
188.925 AU |
Eccentricity |
0.008 585 87 |
Perihelion |
4,459,631,496 km
29.810 795 27 AU |
Aphelion |
4,536,874,325 km
30.327 131 69 AU |
Orbital period |
60,223.3528 d
(164.88 a) |
Synodic period |
367.49 d |
Avg. Orbital Speed |
5.432 km/s |
Max. Orbital Speed |
5.479 km/s |
Min. Orbital Speed |
5.385 km/s |
Inclination |
1.769 17°
(6.43° to Sun's equator) |
Longitude of the
ascending node |
131.721 69° |
Argument of the
perihelion |
273.249 66° |
Number of satellites |
13 |
Physical characteristics |
Equatorial diameter |
49,528 km
(3.883 Earths) |
Polar diameter |
48,681 km
(3.829 Earths) |
Oblateness |
0.0171 |
Surface area |
7.619×109 km2 |
Volume |
6.254×1013 km3
(57.74 Earths) |
Mass |
1.0243×1026 kg
(17.147 Earths) |
Mean density |
1.638 g/cm3 |
Equatorial gravity
(At 1 bar) |
11.15 m/s2
(1.14 g) |
Escape velocity |
23.5 km/s |
Rotation period |
16.11 h (16 h 6 min 36 s)
Naming of Neptune
Shortly after its discovery, Neptune was referred to simply as "the planet exterior to Uranus" or as "Le Verrier's planet". The first suggestion for a name came from Galle. He proposed the name Janus. In England, Challis put forth the name Oceanus, particularly appropriate for a seafaring people. In France, Arago suggested that the new planet be called Leverrier, a suggestion which was met with stiff resistance outside France. French almanacs promptly reintroduced the name Herschel for Uranus and Leverrier for the new planet.
Meanwhile, on separate and independent occasions, Adams suggested altering the name Georgian to Uranus, while Leverrier (through the Board of Longitude) suggested Neptune for the new planet. Struve came out in favour of that name on December 29, 1846, to the Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences ", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 7, pp. 121-144, November 13, 1846
Challis, J., Rev., "", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 7, pp. 145-149, November 13, 1846
Adams, J. C., "", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 7, p. 149, November 13, 1846
Galle, "", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 7, p. 153, November 13, 1846
Neptune: The Planet, Rings, and Satellites, Ellis D. Miner et Randii R. Wessen, 2002. ISBN 1-852-33216-6
Neptune and Triton, Dale P. Cruikshank, 1995. ISBN 0-816-51525-5
"The case of the pilfered planet - Did the British steal Neptune?", William Sheehan, Nicolas Kollerstrom and Craig B. Waff, Scientific American December 2004.
Links
Neptune's natural satellites
Naiad | Thalassa | Despina | Galatea | Larissa | Proteus | Triton | Nereid
S/2002 N 1 | S/2002 N 2 | S/2002 N 3 | S/2003 N 1 | S/2002 N 4
see also: The Solar System
Our Solar System
Sun | Mercury | Venus | Earth (Moon) | Mars | Asteroid belt
Jupiter | Saturn | Uranus | Neptune | Pluto (Charon) | Kuiper belt | Scattered disc | Oort cloud
See also astronomical objects and the solar system's list of objects, sorted by radius or mass
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neptune"
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