Neptune

**Neptune**

Size:  Radius: 15,299 mile  Surface Area: 2.941 billion square miles  Distance from the sun: 2,798,000,000 miles

Density: 1.64 g/cm^3

Tectonic Activity: None

Composition:  The atmosphere of Neptune is filled with ice. As it is so far away from the sun the planet is very cold. It is made up primarily of hydrogen, helium, and a little bit of methane. Neptune’s interior is made up of liquid rock and then and ocean on top of that. The ocean however isn’t made completely of water, but a mixture of hydrogen, helium, and water.

Surface Features:  Neptune doesn’t really have a surface, but is made up of one big atmosphere. However parts of the planet are denser than others.The entire surface of Neptune is taken up by a large “ocean” made up of hydrogen, helium, and water. The ocean then fades into the atmosphere. The planet is also surrounded by very faint rings made up of pieces of things like ice.

Surface Temperature:  Neptune is extremely cold because it’s so far from the sun. The average surface temperature is about 73 Kelvin or -200 degrees Celsius, however in places such as the south pole are about 10 degrees Celsius warmer than the rest of the planet.

Orbit:  Neptune orbits the sun at about 2,789,000,000 miles away and takes 165 years. Astronomers have names for the points at which Neptune is both most distant from the sun in it’s orbit, and where Neptune is closest to the sun in it’s orbit. The closest point is called perihelion, and it occurs when Neptune is within 4.45 billion Km from the sun. The farthest is called aphelion and is when Neptune is 4.55 billion miles away from the sun.

Suitability for Life: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> It is impossible for anything that lives on earth to live of Neptune. The planet is extremely cold, about 73 Kelvin. There is also no food that would be able to sustain life, and the planet is constantly covered in storms.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Triton **



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Size: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Radius: 1350 km or 838.5 miles <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Surface area: 23,017,714.99 km <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">2 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Volume: 10,384,058,491 km <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">3

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Density: 2.059 g/cm <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">3

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Composition (external and internal): <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The atmosphere of Triton is very thin and is made up of mostly nitrogen with some methane. The temperatures are so cold that most of the nitrogen is actually frost. The large amounts of nitrogen is due mainly to the volcanic activity on the moon. Also, because of Triton’s high density, it is concluded that the interior is made of more rock than some other icy satellites.



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Orbit: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Triton orbits Neptune in a retrograde orbit, meaning it orbits in the opposite direction of the planet’s rotation; this is considered unusual for such a large moon. Just like our moon on Earth, Triton revolves at the same rate that it rotates, causing the same side to face the planet at all times. It takes about 5.877 Earth days for the moon to orbit the 354,759 km around Neptune. In addition, Triton’s axis is tilted about 157 degrees, causing extreme seasonal heating and cooling.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Surface features: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The surface of Triton is fairly flat with some tall peaks and deep canyons. There are not very many impact craters, indicating the moon is fairly young. The volcanic activity that occurs is caused by the extreme heating of the sun over the different seasons. In addition, geysers have been observed that erupt a frozen material believed to be liquid nitrogen.



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Surface temperature: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The surface temperature of Triton is -235°C (-391°F), and is one of the coolest objects in the solar system. Because of the frosty nitrogen, the surface is is icy and reflect most of the sunlight that hits it. This and its great distance from the Sun cause Triton to have an extremely low temperature.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Suitability for life <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Because of the extreme cold temperatures and lack of any carbon in the atmosphere, there is very little chance that there is life on Triton. There is a small chance that there is a silicon-based life, but not much is known about life under the surface of Triton.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Neptune has 13 satellites, or moons, that have been discovered over the years. Below is a table giving the names and discovery dates of the many satellites. Triton is Neptune's largest moon, followed by Proteus and Nereid. Triton, however, is significantly larger than any other moon.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Additional information **


 * **Satellites** || **Discovery Date** || **Discovery Location** ||
 * Triton || October 10, 1846 || Liverpool ||
 * Nereid || May 1, 1949 || Fort Davis ||
 * Naiad || August 1989 || Voyager 2 ||
 * Thalassa || August 1989 || Voyager 2 ||
 * Despina || July 1989 || Voyager 2 ||
 * Galatea || July 1989 || Voyager 2 ||
 * Larissa || July 1989 || Voyager 2 ||
 * Proteus || June 1989 || Voyager 2 ||
 * Halimede || August 14, 2002 || Cerro Tololo ||
 * Psamathe || August 29, 2003 || Mauna Kea ||
 * Sao || August 14, 2002 || Cerro Tololo ||
 * Laomedeia || August 13, 2002 || Cerro Tololo ||
 * Neso || August 14, 2002 || Cerro Tololo ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Works Cited**

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Neptune – Facts and Information about the Planet Neptune | Space.com ." Space and NASA News – Universe and Deep Space Information | <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Space.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. < [|__http://www.space.com/41-neptune-the-other-blue-planet-in-our-solar-system.html__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Neptune." Chris Mihos - Webhome. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/advanced/neptune

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Temperature On Neptune." Moon Facts - Information About The Moon | MoonPhases.info. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> < [|__http://moonphases.info/temperature-on-neptune.html__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Neptune’s Orbit." Universe Today — Space and astronomy news. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. < [|__http://www.universetoday.com/22054__] [| __/neptunes-orbit/__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Neptune - EnchantedLearning.com." ENCHANTED LEARNING HOME PAGE. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> < [|__http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Life on Neptune?." Windows to the Universe. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013. < [|__http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Life__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Solar System Exploration: Planets: Neptune: Moons: Triton: Overview." Solar System Exploration. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> < [|__http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Nep_Triton&Display=Overview&System__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Does Triton Have a Subsurface Ocean?." Astrobiology Magazine -- The Origin and Evolution of Life in the Universe. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 2013. < [|__http://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/4997/does-triton-have-a-subsurface-ocean__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Moons of Neptune." Rocket City Space Pioneers. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. < [|__http://www.rocketcityspacepioneers.com/space/moons-__] [| __of-neptune__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Solar System Exploration: Planets: Neptune: Moons: Triton: Overview." Solar System Exploration. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> < [|__http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Nep_Triton&Display=Overview&System__]

[|__http://www.seasky.org/solar-system/assets/images/triton02_sk12.jpg__] [|__http://www.seasky.org/solar-system/assets/images/triton05_sk12.jpg__] [|__http://www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2004/10/4_9c8384c1928818ab8e7cf5a833a6fcb92.gif__] [|__http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/n/neptune's_natural_satellites.htm__]