Orbital parameters
Neptune | Ratio (Neptune/Earth) | |
---|---|---|
Orbit eccentricity | 0.0113 | 0.677 |
Sidereal rotation period (hrs) | 16.11* | 0.673 |
Length of day (hrs) | 16.11 | 0.671 |
Obliquity to orbit (deg) | 28.32 | 1.208 |
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Contents
Is Neptune’s orbit eccentric?
Having an orbital period of 164.79 years, Neptune has circled the Sun only once since its discovery in September 1846. Its orbital eccentricity of 0.0086 is the second lowest of the planets; only Venus’s orbit is more circular.
What is Neptune’s albedo?
The albedo of Neptune is 41 percent.
How do you find the eccentricity of a planet?
The formula to determine the eccentricity of an ellipse is the distance between foci divided by the length of the major axis. Kepler’s First law is illustrated in the image shown above. The picture exaggerates the eccentricity of the planet for learning purposes.
What is the eccentricity of an elliptical orbit?
The eccentricity of an elliptical orbit is a measure of the amount by which it deviates from a circle; it is found by dividing the distance between the focal points of the ellipse by the length of the major axis.
What is Neptune made of?
Neptune is one of two ice giants in the outer solar system (the other is Uranus). Most (80% or more) of the planet’s mass is made up of a hot dense fluid of “icy” materials – water, methane, and ammonia – above a small, rocky core. Of the giant planets, Neptune is the densest.
What is the gravity of Neptune?
While all planets follow an elliptical orbit, Venus’s orbit is the least eccentric of any of the Solar Planets. In fact, with an eccentricity of just 0.006772, its orbit is the closest to being circular of any of the planets.
How were Neptune’s rings formed?
It’s believed that the rings of Neptune are relatively young – much younger than the age of the Solar System, and much younger than the age of Uranus’ rings. They were probably created when one of Neptune’s inner moons got to close to the planet and was torn apart by gravity.
Where is Enceladus?
Enceladus is one of the major inner satellites of Saturn along with Dione, Tethys, and Mimas. It orbits at 238,000 km from Saturn’s center and 180,000 km from its cloud tops, between the orbits of Mimas and Tethys.