Neptune

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/neptune

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How heavy is Neptune?Approximately 17 times Earth's mass
2. Who discovered Neptune?September 23, 1846
3. What is the scientific classification?Ice Giant
4. What is the orbital period?164.8 Earth years
5. Why does Neptune look blue?The blue color comes from methane gas in its upper atmosphere. Methane scatters sunlight and makes the planet appear deep blue.
6. How fast do the winds on Neptune blow?Neptune has the fastest winds of any planet, reaching speeds up to 2,100 kilometers per hour. These winds create big storms and swirling clouds.

Ice Giant: A classification of giant planets composed primarily of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, in icy forms.
Rayleigh Scattering: The elastic scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation; responsible for the blue color of Earth's sky and Neptune's atmosphere.
Celestial Mechanics: The branch of astronomy that deals with the motion of celestial bodies under the influence of gravitational forces.
Astronomical Unit (AU): A unit of length equal to the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 150 million kilometers.