Neptune Moons
Neptune's first and largest moon – Triton – was discovered just days after the planet was found.
Neptune has 16 officially recognized moons. English merchant and astronomer William Lassell discovered the first and largest moon – Triton – on Oct. 10, 1846, just 17 days after a Berlin observatory discovered Neptune.
We don't know if Lassell had a celebratory beverage after he discovered Triton, but beer helped make the finding possible. Lassell was one of 19th century England's grand amateur astronomers. He used the fortune he made in the brewery business to finance his telescopes.
All but two of Neptune's 16 moons have been named. Since Neptune is named for the Roman god of the sea, its moons are named for various lesser sea gods and nymphs in Greek mythology.
Named Neptune Moons
All Moons of Neptune
| I | Triton | 1846 | W. Lassell | IAU WGPSN | |
| II | Nereid | 1949 | G.P. Kuiper | IAU WGPSN | |
| III | Naiad | S/1989 N6 | 1989 | Voyager Science Team | IAU WGPSN |
| IV | Thalassa | S/1989 N5 | 1989 | Voyager Science Team | IAU WGPSN |
| V | Despina | S/1989 N3 | 1989 | Voyager Science Team | IAU WGPSN |
| VI | Galatea | S/1989 N4 | 1989 | Voyager Science Team | IAU WGPSN |
| VII | Larissa | S/1989 N2 | 1989 | Voyager Science Team | IAU WGPSN |
| VIII | Proteus | S/1989 N1 | 1989 | Voyager Science Team | IAU WGPSN |
| IX | Halimede | S/2002 N1 | 2002 | M. Holman, J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, D. Milisavljevic | IAUC 8047 |
| X | Psamathe | S/2003 N1 | 2003 | S.S. Sheppard, D.C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna | IAUC 8193 |
| XI | Sao | S/2002 N2 | 2002 | T. Grav, M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, W. Fraser, D. Milisavljevic | IAUC 8047 |
| XII | Laomedeia | S/2002 N3 | 2002 | J. Kavelaars, M. Holman, T. Grav, W. Fraser, D. Milisavljevic | IAUC 8047 |
| XIII | Neso | S/2002 N4 | 2002 | M. Holman, J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser, D. Milisavljevic | IAUC 8213 |
| XIV | Hippocamp | S/2004 N1 | 2013 | M.R. Showalter, I. de Pater, J.J. Lissauer, R.S. French | CBET 3586 |
| S/2002 N5 | 2002 | M. Holman, J.J. Kavelaars, T. Grav, W. Fraser | MPEC 2024-D114 | ||
| S/2021 N1 | 2021 | S.S. Sheppard, D.J. Tholen, C. Trujillo, P.S. Lykawka | MPEC 2024-D112 |
