Neptune

Neptune
Neptune in Orbiter
Designation
Name	Neptune
Reference body	Sun
Number of satellites
Planetary mean orbits
Epoch	J2000 (1 January 2000)
Semimajor axis (a)	30.06896348 AU (4.49825291×1012 km)
Eccentricity (e)	0.00858587
Inclination (i)	1.76917° (0.0308778 radian)
Longitude of the ascending node (LAN, ☊)	131.72169° (2.298977 radian)
Longitude of periapsis (ϖ)	44.97135° (0.784898 radian)
Mean longitude (L)	304.88003° (5.321160 radian)
Planetary orbital element centennial rates
Semimajor axis (a)	-0.00125196 AU/Century
Eccentricity (e)	0.0000251 Century-1
Inclination (i)	-3.64 seconds/Century
Longitude of the ascending node (LAN, ☊)	-151.25 seconds/Century
Longitude of periapsis (ϖ)	-844.43 seconds/Century
Mean longitude (L)	786449.21 seconds/Century
Selected physical parameters
Mean radius	24624.0±21 km
Mass	1.024569×1026 kg
Density	1.638 g/cm3
Sidereal rotation period	16.11±0.01 hours
Sidereal orbit period	163.72321 years
Magnitude V(1,0)	-6.87
Geometric albedo	0.41
Equatorial gravity	11.00±0.05 m/s2
Escape velocity	23.5 km/s
Rotation elements
North pole right ascension (α1)	295.25°
North pole declination (δ1)	40.63°
Obliqutiy of ecliptic	29.48°
Longitude of Sun's transit	221.13°
Atmospheric parameters
Surface Pressure	>>104 kPa
Surface Density	~0.45 kg/m3 at 1 bar
Scale height	19.1-20.3 km
Average temperature	~58 K
Wind speeds	0-200 m/s
Ecliptic position from primary*
Note	*Elements given are from Orbiter.pdf (2016)

Neptune is the 8th planet from the Sun, the fourth largest planet by size and the third by mass. Neptune was actually observed by Galileo Galilei on at least two occassions in 1612 and 1613, but did not realize that it was a planet, mistaking it for a star. In 1845, John Couch Adams and Urbain Le Verrier indpendently calculated that there should be another planet based upon perturbations of the orbit of Uranus. Le Verrier sent a letter with his findings to Johann Gottfried Galle who was then the first observer of Neptune and recognized it for what it is.

Neptune in Orbiter

Neptune has been a part of the Orbiter family of bodies at least since the release of Orbiter 2001. In the 2001 version, Neptune had no moons, but 14 moons have been added in later releases of Orbiter or as a part of add-ons.

In Orbiter 2002, the orbital parameters were moved from Neptune.cfg to the module Vsop87.dll. In neptune.zip, Neptune's rings were added.

Orbiter versions and add-ons which include Neptune
Add-on	Source	Version	Author	Type	Release Date	Compatibility	Wiki article
Orbiter 2003-P2	O-F Resources	031217	martins	Orbiter Download	17 December 2003	Orbiter 2003-P2
Orbiter 2003-P1	O-F Resources	031105	martins	Orbiter Download	5 November 2003
Uranus-Neptune II	AVSIM		Rolf B Keibel	Scenery	6 March 2003
Neptune	AVSIM		Rolf Keibel	Scenery	7 November 2002
Orbiter 2002	O-F Resources	020419	martins	Orbiter Download	19 April 2002	Orbiter 2002
Orbiter 2001	O-F Resources	010503	martins	Orbiter Download	3 May 2001	Orbiter 2001

See also

Neptune at Wikipedia

Natural satellites

• Triton
• Proteus
• Nereid

• 

  Neptune in Orbiter 2001
• 

  Neptune in Orbiter 2002
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  Neptune from neptune.zip in Orbiter 2002
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  Neptune in Orbiter 2002P3
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  Neptune in Orbiter 2003P2
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  Neptune as seen by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on 17 August 1989
  Wikimedia Commons

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