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Neptune in Natural Colors

Neptune in Natural Colors

About the Object

  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    The semi-major axis of Neptune's orbit about the Sun is 30.06 Astronomical Units (A.U.) or roughly 4.5 billion km.
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    Neptune has a diameter of roughly 30,800 miles (49,600 km) at the equator.

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
    The Neptune STIS/CCD data are from the HST proposal 9330: E. Karkoschka (U. AZ), M. Lemmon (Texas A&M), M. Tomasko (U. AZ) Note: Neptune images within this press release were taken with STIS/CCD.
  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    HST> STIS/CCD
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    August 3, 2003
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    G430L, G750L, CLEAR, and F28X50LP
  • 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.
    Planet
  • Release Date
    January 22, 2004
  • Science Release
    The Colorful Lives of the Outer Planets
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA and Erich Karkoschka, University of Arizona

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Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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