MAY STUDY**NEPTUNE**

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Neptune
By Sharon Fabian

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1 The story of Neptune's discovery is a story about Math and Chemistry. Neptune was discovered because of the predictions of two mathematicians. Later, Voyager 2 gave us some clues as to Neptune's chemical makeup. Scientists have put all of these mathematical and chemical clues together to learn as much as they can about planet Neptune.

2

Neptune Math

In the 1840's, astronomers were interested in the planet Uranus, the most recently discovered planet. Since it was so far away, one of the best ways they had to learn more details about Uranus was through math. Mathematicians were studying Uranus's orbit when they noticed something strange. Uranus didn't travel along its path at an even speed. It sped up sometimes, and sometimes it slowed down. What did this mean? What was causing Uranus to change its speed at certain times? The scientists had a theory. They thought the cause might be a pull from the gravity of another planet even farther out. In England, a mathematician named John Couch Adams worked on the problem. He was able to calculate Uranus's orbit and then predict where the gravitational pull should be coming from. In France another mathematician, Urbain Leverrier, studied the same problem and came up with a similar solution. Then two German astronomers, Johann Galle and Heinrich D'Arrest, began looking through their telescopes for the mystery planet. They used Adams's and Leverrier's calculations to tell them just where to look. This is how they discovered Neptune.

3 Mathematical calculations have also made it possible for scientists to discover Neptune's moons. Its largest moon, Triton, was discovered in 1846, the same year that Neptune was discovered. In 1949 a second moon, Nereid, was discovered. Then, in 1989, six more moons were discovered when the Voyager 2 spacecraft flew by Neptune. Only by precise mathematical calculation was this voyage even possible. Exact calculations of speed, time, distances, gravities, and orbits guided Voyager 2.

4

Neptune Chemistry

Since Neptune is so far away, about 30 times the distance from the Earth to the sun, it is amazing that we know anything at all about what it is made of. Yet scientists have some pretty good theories about the makeup of Neptune. Chemists know about the properties of each chemical element, so they can make some predictions about what Neptune is made of from even basic information such as its size, mass, temperature, and even its color. By comparing Neptune to planets that they already know more about, they can make even more hypotheses about the chemical composition of Neptune. The fact that Neptune's mass is small compared to the giant size of the planet tells us that Neptune is one of the gas planets. Hydrogen, helium, and methane are probably present in Neptune's atmosphere. Scientists believe that Neptune has a core of melted rock, just as earth does, but they cannot be sure. Neptune has a dark band around the middle, and it is brighter on both sides of the dark band. The brightness may originate from sunlight reflecting from methane ice crystals in the atmosphere.

5 Scientists continue to use clues from math and chemistry to discover more about Neptune. Four more moons were discovered in 2002, and another one in 2003.

6 We still have more questions than answers about Neptune. One interesting question is what happened to Neptune's giant dark spot. The dark spot was a huge storm, similar to Jupiter's giant red spot. Scientists had watched it for years, but no one has seen it lately. The scientists wonder if it has really disappeared, or if we are just not able to see it from Earth now. They have lots of other questions about Neptune too. That is why astronomers try to get every bit of knowledge that they can from even the smallest fact like a measurement or a chemical property.

Copyright © 2005 edHelper
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Name _____________________________
Date ___________________
Neptune


1. According to this article, math and chemistry _____.
Are no longer necessary subjects
Made it possible to discover Neptune
Were used to discover all of the planets
Were Urbain Leverrier's favorite subjects

2. Neptune was discovered in _____.
1846
1989
1800
1949


3. The article names _____ spacecraft that flew by Neptune.
Five
Two
One
No

4. Neptune was discovered by _____.
Neither
Both
Mathematicians
Astronomers


5. From this article, we know that _____.
Neptune is the last planet visited by Voyager 2
It does not say.
Pluto is the last planet in the solar system
Neptune is the last planet in the Solar System

6. The Voyager 2 spacecraft used math to guide its journey.
False
True


7. Parts of Neptune appear very bright, even though Neptune is far away from the sun. This may be because sunlight reflects from _____ in Neptune's atmosphere.
Water vapor
Methane gas
Ice crystals
Dust storms

8. Compare Neptune to one of the other planets. Tell how they are similar and how they are different.

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Neptune - Answer Key



1 Made it possible to discover Neptune
2 1846
3 One
4 Both
5 It does not say.
6 True
7 Ice crystals
8 Answers will vary.

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Name _____________________________
Date ___________________

Neptune Word Search


Find each of the following words.


BLUE COLOR
EIGHT MOONS
FAINT RINGS
TILTED AXIS
164.8 YEARS REVOLUTION
TRITON
19.1 HOURS ROTATION
NEREID
EIGHTH PLANET
STRONG WINDS
VOYAGER 2
DARK STORMS
GAS PLANET
SEASONS
NEPTUNE
PROTEUS
FRIGID WINDS






S D N I W D I G I R F T I L T E D A X I S 1 A L U I R
S T P I 1 6 4 . 8 Y E A R S R E V O L U T I O N L
R G H E E T E N A L P H T H G I E S I M U D E S L
N T N R N W W E S R A R R O R Y I M F I R S I T X O D L
B D L I P E N H U T Y P R P N O G G R E T H S R T N T N R
S R T N R U P E K A N S E A L L R H O N I 6 N N E T H I T
N E X U L T T R N R E S E R O A T T D G O R G N R D W P
O N I O N O T U E M N U E K C I S E P N G A A N N L
S O G S R N G N I V S H 4 T M N O I N L N E G G
A L P S S I I N E D A I O E I O K 2 R A I R P U A N L
E S N E L D V O Y A G E R 2 U O R 2 I E R I N N O H
S S G I F H S W S F T T S I L W N A P I R I R S D P R F
D R T R I T O N L A S L E S P B H S D I E I A A W I T I
O L 1 9 . 1 H O U R S R O T A T I O N I N G N S S
I T T 8 T S R G G T R O U K 6 A R E W D N Y W R I T O D



Answer Key
BLUE COLOR EIGHT MOONS FAINT RINGS TILTED AXIS
164.8 YEARS REVOLUTION TRITON 19.1 HOURS ROTATION NEREID
EIGHTH PLANET STRONG WINDS VOYAGER 2 DARK STORMS
GAS PLANET SEASONS NEPTUNE PROTEUS
FRIGID WINDS


S D N I W D I G I R F T I L T E D A X I S
S 1 6 4 . 8 Y E A R S R E V O L U T I O N
G T E N A L P H T H G I E S S
N N S R I M D
I E N U O G R T N
S R P E L H O E I
N T T R O T T N W
O O T U E C S A
S R N N I M L G
A P I E D E O K P N
E V O Y A G E R 2 U O R O
S F L N A S R
T R I T O N B S D A T
1 9 . 1 H O U R S R O T A T I O N G S

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NEPTUNE


Is very similar to Uranus in size. Its mass (weight) is over 17 times that of the Earth. Its diameter is 4 times that of our planet.

Is the eighth planet in order from the Sun. It is about 4.5 billion kilometers from the Sun.

Makes one complete orbit around the Sun every 164.79 years.

Rotates on its axis about the same speed as Uranus. It completes one rotation in about 18 hours and 26 minutes.

Has a weather system that is very active. Some storms with winds of 400 miles per hour have lasted for hundreds of years on its surface.

Has a total of 8 satellites (or moons).

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www.the-solar-system.net/planet-neptune/neptune-fact-sheet.html


interesting facts here

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NEPTUNE

Introduction to Neptune Inside Neptune Neptune's Rings Neptune's Atmosphere and the Great Dark Spot Neptune's Moons Activities, Web Links

GENERAL INFORMATION ON NEPTUNE
Neptune is the eighth planet from the sun in our solar system. This giant, frigid planet has a hazy atmosphere and strong winds. This gas giant is orbited by eight moons and narrow, faint rings arranged in clumps. Neptune's blue color is caused by the methane (CH4) in its atmosphere; this molecule absorbs red light.
Neptune cannot be seen using the eyes alone. Neptune was the first planet whose existence was predicted mathematically (the planet Uranus's orbit was perturbed by an unknown object which turned our to be another gas giant, Neptune).

SIZE
Neptune is about 30,775 miles (49,528 km) in diameter. This is 3.88 times the diameter of the Earth. If Neptune were hollow, it could hold almost 60 Earths.

Neptune is the fourth largest planet in our Solar System (after Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus).

MASS AND GRAVITY
Neptune's mass is about 1.02 x 1026 kg. This is over 17 times the mass of the Earth, but the gravity on Neptune is only 1.19 times of the gravity on Earth. This is because it is such a large planet (and the gravitational force a planet exerts upon an object at the planet's surface is proportional to its mass and to the inverse of its radius squared).

A 100-pound person would weigh 119 pounds on Neptune.

LENGTH OF A DAY AND YEAR ON NEPTUNE
Each day on Neptune takes 19.1 Earth hours. A year on Neptune takes 164.8 Earth years; it takes almost 165 Earth years for Neptune to orbit the sun once.

Since Neptune was discovered in 1846, it has not yet completed a single revolution around the sun.

NEPTUNE'S ORBIT AND DISTANCE FROM THE SUN
Neptune is about 30 times farther from the sun than the Earth is; it averages 30.06 A.U. from the sun. Occasionally, Neptune's orbit is actually outside that of Pluto; this is because of Pluto's highly eccentric (non-circular) orbit. During this time (20 years out of every 248 Earth years), Neptune is actually the farthest planet from the Sun (and not Pluto). From January 21, 1979 until February 11, 1999, Pluto was inside the orbit of Neptune. Now and until September 2226, Pluto is outside the orbit of Neptune.

At aphelion (the point in Neptune's orbit farthest from the sun) Neptune is 4,546,000,000 km from the sun, at perihelion (the point in Neptune's orbit closest from the sun) Neptune is 4,456,000,000 km from the sun.

Neptune's rotational axis is tilted 30 degrees to the plane of its orbit around the Sun (this is few degrees more than the Earth). This gives Neptune seasons. Each season lasts 40 years; the poles are in constant darkness or sunlight for 40 years at a time.

TEMPERATURE
The mean temperature is 48 K.

DISCOVERY OF NEPTUNE
Neptune's existence was predicted in 1846, after calculations showed perturbations in the orbit of Uranus. The calculations were done independently by both J.C. Adams and Le Verrier. Neptune was then observed by J.G. Galle and d'Arrest on September 23, 1846.

SPACECRAFT VISITS
Neptune was visited by NASA's Voyager 2 in August, 1989. Before this visit, virtually nothing was known about Neptune.

NEPTUNE'S NAME AND SYMBOL

Neptune was named after the mythical Roman god of the seas. Neptune's symbol is the fishing spear.

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www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/

view images and symbols of Neptune at this site

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Use the section on the Neptune to answer the following questions.

1. Is Neptune always the eighth planet from the Sun? ______________


2. Neptune was named after the mythical Roman god of the _________________


3. Does Neptune have rings circling it?_______________________


4. How many moons does Neptune have?_______________________


5. Does Neptune radiate more energy than it receives from the Sun? _____________________


6. Is Neptune's Great Dark Spot a giant storm, an impact crater, or a plane of dark lava? _______________________


7. What is the major component of Neptune's atmosphere? _______________________


8. Neptune has the strongest winds in the Solar System. How fast do they blow? _______________________


9. Can Neptune be seen from the Earth without using a telescope? ______________________


10. How long is a Neptune year? ______________________

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Neptune:
Cloze Activity
Fill in the blanks below. Answers
Word Bank: 1846
largest
eighth
Earths
eyes 119
rings
moons
mass
red Neptune
winds
gravitational
hollow
Sun

Neptune is the _____________________________ planet from the Sun in our Solar System. It is the fourth _____________________________ planet in our Solar System. This giant, frigid planet has a hazy atmosphere and strong _____________________________. This gas giant is orbited by eight _____________________________ and narrow, faint _____________________________ arranged in clumps. Neptune's blue color is caused by the methane (CH4) in its atmosphere; this molecule absorbs _____________________________ light. Neptune was visited by NASA's Voyager 2 in August, 1989. Before this visit, virtually nothing was known about Neptune.
Neptune cannot be seen using the _____________________________ alone. Neptune was the first planet whose existence was predicted mathematically in ___________________________ independently by J.C. Adams and Le Verrier (the planet Uranus's orbit was perturbed by an unknown object which turned our to be another gas giant, Neptune). Neptune was then observed by J.G. Galle and d'Arrest later that year. Neptune was named for the mythical Roman god of the seas.

Neptune is about 30,775 miles (49,528 km) in diameter. This is 3.88 times the diameter of the Earth. If Neptune were _____________________________, it could hold almost 60 _____________________________.

Neptune's mass is about 1.02 x 1026 kg. This is over 17 times the _____________________________ of the Earth, but the gravity on Neptune is only 1.19 times of the gravity on Earth. This is because it is such a large planet (and the _____________________________ force a planet exerts upon an object at the planet's surface is proportional to its mass and to the inverse of its radius squared). A 100-pound person would weigh _________________________ pounds on Neptune.

Each day on Neptune takes 19.1 Earth hours. A year on Neptune takes 164.8 Earth years; it takes almost 165 Earth years for Neptune to orbit the Sun once. Since _____________________________ was discovered in 1846, it has not yet completed a single revolution around the __________________________.

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seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/neptune.html

high school level info

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www.dustbunny.com/afk/planets/neptune/

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www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/activities/radiobuttonquiz/Neptunepz.shtml

click on the above link for an interactive puzzle

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Writing a report on Neptune

Getting Started:
First, get to know about your planet. Read as much information about the planet as you can find. Try both the Internet and the library; try the NASA web site, Zoom Astronomy, Nine Planets, a good search engine, an encyclopedia, and individual books on astronomy and the Solar System.
As you're reading about your planet, take notes on key information, such as your planet's size, temperature range, its position in the Solar System, moons, atmosphere, any unusual features, when it was discovered, etc. A graphic organizer can be useful for this.

The Structure of the Planet Report:
Start your report with an introductory paragraph that states the main ideas that you will be writing about. Then write at least four to five paragraphs that clearly describe your planet. Each paragraph should cover one topic (for example, you should have one paragraph that covers the planet's location in the Solar System, how far it is from the Sun, and how long its year is). End the report with a closing paragraph that summarizes what you wrote and learned.

Finally, cite your references (see the section below on formats for your bibliography).

Check that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct. Make sure to use complete sentences and write neatly! Define any technical terms that you use. Proofread your report for errors before you hand it in -- do not hand in a rough draft.

Topics to Research and Include in Your Report:
When you write your report, try to answer as many of the following questions as you can:

The Planet's Name: What does its name mean? Many planets were named after mythological Gods.
Position in the Solar System: Where is your planet located (for example, Mars in the fourth planet from the Sun)? How far from the Sun does it orbit. Is its orbit unusual?
Roation on its Axis: How long does it take for your planet to rotate on its own axis? (This is one day on your planet.)
Size: How big is your planet? How does it rate in terms of the other planets in terms of size (is it the biggest, the smallest)? What is your planet's mass?
Gravity: What is the force of gravity at the surface of your planet? For example, what would a 100-pound person weigh on that planet?
Orbit: How long does it take for your planet to orbit the Sun? (This is one year on your planet.)
Atmosphere: What is the composition of the atmosphere of your planet? Is it a thick or a thin atmosphere?
Temperature: What is the temperature range your planet? How does this compare to the temperature on Earth?
Composition of Your Planet and its Appearance: What type of planet is it (is it rocky or a gas giant)? What is its internal composition? What does your planet look like?
Moons: If there are moons orbiting your planet, describe them and when they were discovered.
Rings: If there are rings orbiting your planet, describe them and when they were discovered.
How Would a Human Being Fare on Your Planet: On your planet, would a person choke in the atmosphere, be squashed by the extreme gravity, float with ease, freeze, burn up, or something else?
Something Special: Is there anything special about your planet? This can often be the best part of the report, taking you off on interesting topics. For example, are there 100-year-long storms on your planet? Are there giant volcanos? Does your planet have a very tilted axis (giving it extreme seasons)? Have spacecraft visited your planet? If so, what have they discovered? Is your planet in an orbital resonance with another body?
Discovery of Your Planet: The planets that are not visible using the naked eye were discovered after the invention of the telescope (these are Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto). Tell when your planet was discovered and by whom.

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Citing Your References: When you write your bibliography, list all of your references. Formats for each type of publication follows (there are different formats for different media):
Web Site: Author(s) if appropriate. Title of Site or web page. URL of site, date of publication (the earliest copyright year listed).
Book: Author(s). Title of book. Edition. Location of publisher: Name of Publisher, year of publication.
Encyclopedia: Title of encyclopedia, volume of encyclopedia used. Location of publisher: Name of Publisher, year of publication, pages where the article is located.
Magazine or Journal: Author(s). "Title of article." Name of magazine, Volume.issue (date): pages where the article is located.
Author(s) are listed last name first, first name or initials (as cited in the publication).

For example: ZoomAstronomy.com would be cited as follows:

Col, Jeananda. ZoomAstronomy.com. www.ZoomAstronomy.com 1999.

Another format for Internet sources is as follows:

Last name, First name of author. Title of Page. Name of the publisher (EnchantedLearning.com in our case). Date the page was created (at Enchanted Learning, this is the earliest date on the copyright notice located at the bottom of each page), Date of revision (at Enchanted Learning, we do not keep track of page revisions).

Some teachers also request that you include the date of access; this is the date (or dates) that you went to the web page (or pages).

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To members of this site:

Please accept my apologies for the lateness of this month's planet study.

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