• Question: is neptune a gas planet or is it just like the moon? and how does is get its blue colour

    Asked by to Mark, Matthew, Mike, Paul, Sabina on 13 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Mike Lee

      Mike Lee answered on 13 Mar 2014:

      Neptune is a gas planet – and not like the moon. I’m not sure how it gets it’s blue colour but my guess is the type of gasses in the atmosphere are good at reflecting blue light, and absorb the other colours. I don’t know what those gasses are…

    • Photo: Paul Coxon

      Paul Coxon answered on 13 Mar 2014:

      Neptune isn’t like the moon, it’s a gas planet. It has a rocky core, an inner region of frozen water and ammonia, and an atmosphere of hydrogen, helium and methane gas.

      The methane in the upper atmosphere absorbs the red light from the sun but reflects the blue light from the Sun back into space. This is why when we look at it Neptune appears a lovely blue.

    • Photo: Mark Jackson

      Mark Jackson answered on 16 Mar 2014:

      Neptune’s atmosphere is made up of hydrogen, helium and methane. The methane in Neptune’s upper atmosphere absorbs the red light from the sun but reflects the blue light from the Sun back into space. This is why Neptune appears blue. And it’s very much a planet.

      Named after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune was also the first planet found by mathematical prediction rather than by empirical observation. Unexpected changes in the orbit of Uranus led Alexis Bouvard to deduce that its orbit was subject to gravitational perturbation by an unknown planet. It was subsequently observed on 23 September 1846 by Johann Galle.

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