What is the farthest planet of the solar system?

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 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. While 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: "Name the farthest planet of the solar system" - you can hear both names as answers.

Neptune in the mythology of the Romans is the god of the sea.

Opening

Officially the farthest planet of the Solar System - Neptune - was discovered in 1846. However, in 1612 it was described by Galileo. But then he considered it a motionless star, why it was not recognized as its pioneer.

The existence of a new planet was pondered 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 in September 23, 1846, after two months of searching, thanks to the mathematical calculations of the orbit, Neptune was discovered.

He got his name thanks to the mathematician who discovered him (U. Liverrier), who originally wanted to name the planet by his name.

What is the farthest planet of the solar system? Description

Neptune is constantly submerged in the twilight. Its illumination is 900 times smaller than that of our planet. The sun from the orbit seems to be just a bright star.

There is a giant at a distance of 4.55 billion km, which is about 30 a. E. It has a mass of 17.15 times more than the planet Earth, and the diameter is 4 times larger. Its average density is only 1.5 times that of water (1.6 g / cc). Thus, Neptune belongs to the group of giant planets, which also include Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus.

The farthest planet of the solar system is also called ice, since the mass of helium and hydrogen in its composition is not more than 15-20%.

Like other giants, Neptune rotates on its axis with great speed. The day is only 16.11 hours. Around the Sun, he circulates in a practically circular orbit in 164.8 years. In 2011, he completed his first full turnover since the opening.

On the surface of Neptune dominated by strong winds, the average speed of which - 400 m / sec.

It is interesting that 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, because it emits 2.7 times more energy into space than it absorbs from the Sun.

The planet is constantly changing the seasons. One season lasts about 40 years.

Satellites

The farthest planet of the solar system has 14 satellites. Usually they are divided into three groups:

- Internal: Talas, Nayada, Galatea, Despina, Larissa, Proteus;

- separate for Nereid and Triton;

- The five outer satellites have no name.

The first group includes dark lumps, reaching 100-200 km and having irregular shapes. They rotate in a circular orbit almost in the plane of the equator. The planet they fly in just a few hours.

The second group includes Triton. This is a fairly large satellite. Its diameter is about 2700 km, around Neptune, he makes a full turn in 6 days. Moves in a spiral, slowly approaching the planet. Once it falls on Neptune and under the influence of tidal forces turns into another ring. Its surface is cold, there is an opinion that under the crust of ice the ocean is raging.

Nereid flies around the giant for 360 days. It has an irregular shape.

The outer satellites are 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 plane of the equator and the reverse movement, it was decided that they are Neptune-captured objects 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 they radiate red. They are considered relatively young and short-lived. The rings of Neptune are unstable and differ significantly from each other.

Interesting Facts

Answering the question on which distant planet of the Solar System the famous spacecraft Voyager 2 was launched, it can be said that it was initially sent for the exploration of Saturn and Jupiter, but the trajectory also made it possible to reach Uranus and Neptune. It was launched in 1977.

On August 24, 1989, he flew 48 thousand kilometers from Neptune. At that time, photos of the planet and his moon Triton were sent to Earth.

In 2016, it was planned to send another spacecraft to the planet. However, at the moment there are no exact launch dates.