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Neptune’s Methane Band
About the Object
- DistanceDistanceThe 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.
- DimensionsDimensionsThe 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 DescriptionData 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.10423: H.B. Hammel (Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO) and E. Karkoschka (University of Arizona) - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.HST>ACS/HRC
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.April 29 and 30, 2005
- FiltersFiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.F250W, F330W, F435W, F475W, F550M, F625W, F658N, F775W, F814W, F850LP, F892N, and FR914M
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Neptune
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Planet
- Release DateSeptember 1, 2005
- Science ReleaseHubble Makes Movie of Neptune’s Dynamic Atmosphere
- Credit
Compass and Scale
Compass and ScaleAn astronomical image with a scale that shows how large an object is on the sky, a compass that shows how the object is oriented on the sky, and the filters with which the image was made.
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Neptune's Dynamic Atmosphere
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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
