|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Neptune: Big Blue Giant
Title
Neptune: Big Blue Giant
Title
|
|
Explanation:
|
This picture was taken by the Voyager 2 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…] spacecraft in 1986 - the only spacecraft ever to visit Neptune. Neptune [ http://seds.lpl.ari…] will be the farthest planet from the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] until 1999, when the elliptical orbit of Pluto will cause it to once again resume this status. Neptune [ http://www.c3.lanl.…], like Uranus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], is composed mostly of liquid water, methane and ammonia, is surrounded by a thick gas atmosphere of mostly hydrogen and helium, and has many moons and rings. Neptune [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…]'s moon Triton [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is unlike any other and has active volcanoes. The nature of Triton [ http://seds.lpl.ari…]'s unusual orbit around Neptune is the focus of much discussion and speculation. Tomorrow's picture: Pluto: The Frozen Planet
Explanation
This picture was taken by the Voyager 2 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…] spacecraft in 1986 - the only spacecraft ever to visit Neptune. Neptune [ http://seds.lpl.ari…] will be the farthest planet from the Sun [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] until 1999, when the elliptical orbit of Pluto will cause it to once again resume this status. Neptune [ http://www.c3.lanl.…], like Uranus [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], is composed mostly of liquid water, methane and ammonia, is surrounded by a thick gas atmosphere of mostly hydrogen and helium, and has many moons and rings. Neptune [ http://nssdc.gsfc.n…]'s moon Triton [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] is unlike any other and has active volcanoes. The nature of Triton [ http://seds.lpl.ari…]'s unusual orbit around Neptune is the focus of much discussion and speculation. Tomorrow's picture: Pluto: The Frozen Planet Explanation
|
|
Credit and Copyright:
|
Credit_and_Copyright
Credit and Copyright
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
1986
facet_when
1986
facet_when
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Pluto
facet_where
Pluto
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Uranus
facet_where
Uranus
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Hamilton
facet_where
Hamilton
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Triton
facet_where
Triton
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Voyager
facet_what
Voyager
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Pluto
facet_what
Pluto
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Voyager 2
facet_what
Voyager 2
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Neptune
facet_what
Neptune
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Uranus
facet_what
Uranus
facet_what
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
1986
facet_when_year
1986
facet_when_year
|
|
original url:
|
original_url
original url
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-APOD-ap950817
UID
SPD-APOD-ap950817
UID
|
