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Neptune (Voyager 2)

Neptune, a medium blue sphere with lighter blue bands of clouds and swirls of light blue at the center.
This Voyager 2 image of Neptune shows a cold and dark wind-whipped world. In 1989, NASA’s Voyager 2 became the first and only spacecraft to observe the planet Neptune, passing about 3,000 miles above the planet’s north pole.

About the Data

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    Voyager 2- Narrow Angle Camera
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    1989
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Neptune
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Gas giant with great dark spot
  • Release Date
    February 26, 2020
  • Science Release
    Examining Ice Giants with NASA’s Webb Telescope
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Image: NASA, Caltech

Downloads

  • Full Res (For Print), 2188 × 2185
    tif (6.43 MB)
  • Full Res (For Display), 2188 × 2185
    png (5.63 MB)

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Two Faces of Uranus (Hubble)

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A crisp image of the planet Uranus as observed by Voyager 2. The planet appears as an almost uniform light blue orb.

Uranus (Voyager 2)

Arriving at Uranus in 1986, Voyager 2 observed a bluish orb with extremely subtle features. A haze layer hid most of the planet's clouds from view.

Neptune, a light blue sphere with two large, white clouds at the top, is set against the black background of space.

Neptune (Hubble, 2018)

This Hubble Space Telescope image of Neptune, taken in 2018, shows a new dark storm (top center).

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Details

Last Updated
Aug 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov

Image Credit

NASA, Caltech

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