Neptune is one of two ice giants in the outer solar system the other is Uranus. Of the giant planets, Neptune is the densest. Scientists think there might be an ocean of super hot water under Neptune's cold clouds. It does not boil away because incredibly high pressure keeps it locked inside. Neptune does not have a solid surface. Its atmosphere made up mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane extends to great depths, gradually merging into water and other melted ices over a heavier, solid core with about the same mass as Earth.
Neptune's atmosphere is made up mostly of hydrogen and helium with just a little bit of methane. Neptune's neighbor Uranus is a blue-green color due to such atmospheric methane, but Neptune is a more vivid, brighter blue, so there must be an unknown component that causes the more intense color.
Neptune is our solar system's windiest world. Despite its great distance and low energy input from the Sun, Neptune's winds can be three times stronger than Jupiter's and nine times stronger than Earth's. These winds whip clouds of frozen methane across the planet at speeds of more than 1, miles per hour 2, kilometers per hour. Even Earth's most powerful winds hit only about miles per hour kilometers per hour.
In a large, oval-shaped storm in Neptune's southern hemisphere dubbed the "Great Dark Spot" was large enough to contain the entire Earth. That storm has since disappeared, but new ones have appeared on different parts of the planet.
The main axis of Neptune's magnetic field is tipped over by about 47 degrees compared with the planet's rotation axis. Like Uranus, whose magnetic axis is tilted about 60 degrees from the axis of rotation, Neptune's magnetosphere undergoes wild variations during each rotation because of this misalignment. The magnetic field of Neptune is about 27 times more powerful than that of Earth. Introduction Dark, cold, and whipped by supersonic winds, ice giant Neptune is the eighth and most distant planet in our solar system.
Namesake Namesake The ice giant Neptune was the first planet located through mathematical calculations. Potential for Life Potential for Life Neptune's environment is not conducive to life as we know it. Size and Distance Size and Distance With a radius of 15, Made up of ice particles and silicates, the rings are reddish.
Neptune's rings were first discovered when it passed between a star while astronomers were attempting to study the planet. The star faded out, then returned to view. Unlike other rings, the arc-like nature meant that the fading did not repeat on the other side of the planet, which puzzled scientist.
It wasn't until Voyager imaged the planet in that the mystery of the rings was solved. Neptune has an unusual magnetic field which is tipped on its side in relation to the axis that the planet rotates around. The strong magnetic field, which is about 27 times more powerful than Earth's, is tipped at a 47 degree angle and is likely powered by the motions inside the mantle itself.
Aphelion: The point in a planet's orbit furthest from the Sun. Sidereal Rotation: The time for a body to complete one rotation on its axis relative to the fixed stars such as our Sun. Earth's sidereal rotation is 23 hours, 57 minutes. Length of Day: The average time for the Sun to move from the Noon position in the sky at a point on the equator back to the same position.
Axis tilt: Imagining that a body's orbital plane is perfectly horizontal, the axis tilt is the amount of tilt of the body's equator relative to the body's orbital plane. Earth is tilted an average of Please Contact Us. Please try another search. Multiple locations were found. Please select one of the following:.
Location Help. Customize Your Weather. Privacy Policy. The Planet Neptune Weather. Current Hazards. Local Radar. How quickly they release depends on the interior structure and composition, cloud layers, convection and so on and that can be rather complicated. Related: Inside Gas Giant Neptune. So what of those winds? They are undeniably fierce, and this may have something to do with temperature.
By this she means there are no mountains, hills or other shapes across the Neptunian landscape slowing the winds. But is there any relation between the storms and the internal heat source? It is difficult to quantify these effects because of the long timescales involved. Earth is a very inefficient heat engine, and it doesn't give you much bang for the buck.
One reason is that it has a solid surface that dissipates wind energy by friction, whereas the gas giants do not, so that is one reason why all the giant planets have much stronger winds than Earth does. Uranus' winds can blow up to mph and Neptune's 1, mph. But he too says internal heat alone cannot explain the speeds, given Uranus does not generate extra heat.
0コメント