![]() ![]() Using complex calculations, two different astronomers independently predicted the location of this new planet, Neptune, in the sky – and in 1846, it was found at almost that exact spot! Although it had been observed beforehand, Neptune is the only planet to have been discovered through mathematical calculation. They suspected that the variation might be caused by the existence of an unknown planet beyond Uranus. When astronomers in the 19th century first studied the orbit of Uranus, they observed that the planet's path around the Sun differed from their expectations in a way that suggested it was being acted upon by other forces. Neptune takes 165 years to complete one full orbit around the Sun. ![]() This difference in rotational speed between the different regions is the largest of any planet and causes the strongest winds in the solar system, as fast as 2100 km/h! Neptune's equator seems to rotate once every 18 hours while its polar regions spin once every 12 hours. Rotation and orbitīased on measurements taken by the Voyager 2 probe, different parts of Neptune may rotate at different speeds since the planet is not a solid body. Scientists believe the differences between ice giants and gas giants (like Saturn and Jupiter) are due to their slightly different formation histories. As our solar system took shape about 4.5 billion years ago, Neptune was likely formed in a massive, ancient cloud of gas, dust, and ice which collapsed into a spinning disc with our Sun at its centre. The eighth planet from the Sun, Neptune is considered an ice giant because it is largely made up of water, ammonia, and methane in solid form. ![]()
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