In addition to the Earth, there is another blue planet in the solar system - Neptune. In 1846, it was discovered thanks to mathematical calculations, and not to observations.
What is the farthest planet of the solar system from the sun?
In 1930, Pluto was discovered. Until 2006, it was considered the last ninth planet in the solar system. Whereas Neptune is only the eighth. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union gave a new meaning to the term “planet”, under which Pluto did not fall. There are even versions that it does not belong to the solar system, but is part of the Kuiper belt.
He also lost this title from 1979 to 1999, at which time Pluto was inside the orbit of the planet Neptune.
In this regard, answering the question: “What is the farthest planet in the solar system” - you can hear both names as an answer.
Neptune in the mythology of the Romans is the god of the sea.
Opening
Officially, the farthest planet in the solar system - Neptune - was discovered in 1846. However, back in 1612, it was described by Galileo. But then he considered her a fixed star, which is why he was not recognized as her discoverer.
They thought about the existence of a new planet in 1821, when data were published with a change in the orbit of Uranus, which had differences from the values in the tables.
But only on September 23, 1846, after two months of searching, thanks to mathematical calculations of the orbit, Neptune was discovered.
He got his name thanks to the mathematician who discovered it (W. Liverier), who initially wanted to call the planet his name.
What is the farthest planet in the solar system? Description
Neptune is constantly plunged into twilight. Its illumination is 900 times less than that of our planet. The sun from orbit seems just a bright star.
The giant is located at a distance of 4.55 billion km, which is about 30 a. e. Has a mass of 17.15 times more than the planet Earth, and a diameter of 4 times more. Its average density is only one and a half times higher than water (1.6 g / cc). Thus, Neptune belongs to the group of giant planets, which also includes Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus.
The farthest planet in the solar system is also called icy, since the mass of helium and hydrogen in its composition is no more than 15-20%.
Like other giants, Neptune spins along its axis at tremendous speed. His day is only 16.11 hours. Around the Sun, it makes a revolution in an almost circular orbit for 164.8 years. In 2011, he completed his first full revolution since opening.
Strong winds prevail on the surface of Neptune, the average speed of which is 400 m / s.
Interestingly, the temperature of the planet is - 214 C, when it should be much lower. It is known that the farthest planet of the solar system has its own source of heat inside, since it radiates 2.7 times more energy into space than it absorbs from the Sun.
The planet is constantly changing seasons. One season lasts about 40 years.
Satellites
The farthest planet in the solar system has 14 satellites. Usually they are divided into three groups:
- internal: Talas, Naiad, Galatea, Despina, Larisa, Proteus;
- separately distinguish Nereid and Triton;
- Five external satellites have no name.
The first group includes dark lumps reaching 100-200 km and having an irregular shape. They rotate in a circular orbit almost in the plane of the equator. They fly around the planet in just a few hours.
The second group includes Triton. This is a fairly large satellite. Its diameter is about 2700 km, around Neptune it makes a complete revolution in 6 days. It moves in a spiral, slowly approaching the planet. Once it will fall on Neptune and under the influence of tidal forces will turn into another ring. Its surface is cold, there is an opinion that under the crust of ice the ocean is raging.
Nereida flies around the giant in 360 days. It has an irregular shape.
External satellites are located at a great distance (tens of millions of kilometers) from Neptune. The farthest flies around the planet in 25 years. Taking into account their orbit, inclination to the equatorial plane and the reverse movement, it was decided that they are objects captured by Neptune from the Kuiper belt.
In July 2013, the last satellite was discovered.
Neptune has five rings of ice particles. Some of them in the composition have carbon, so that they emit a red color. They are considered relatively young and short-lived. Neptune's rings are unstable and significantly different from each other.
Interesting Facts
Answering the question about which distant planet of the solar system the famous Voyager 2 spacecraft was launched, we can say that it was originally sent to study Saturn and Jupiter, but the trajectory also allowed to reach Uranus and Neptune. It was launched in 1977.
On August 24, 1989, he flew 48 thousand km from Neptune. At this time, photographs of the planet and its satellite Triton were sent to Earth.
In 2016, it was planned to send another spacecraft to the planet. However, there are currently no exact launch dates.