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Neptune orbits the Sun at a distance of 4,497 million kilometres. It
takes 165 years to complete one of these orbits. It is a jovian planet
with a diameter of 48,600 km. The other jovian planets (jupiter-like)
are Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. Neptune was not known in ancient times,
but was discovered by UJJ Leverrier, in France, using mathematical
calculations to discover a body that was diverting Uranus from its
calculated orbit. His calculations were confirmed by observations at
the Berlin observatory in 1846. JC Adams, in England, also predicted
Neptune's existence but was hampered by the reluctance of English
astronomers to follow up with observations. |
