Myths about Neptune and its Moons

Neptune, which was discovered in 1846, was unknown in ancient times. Astronomers decided to continue the practice of naming planets after deities in Greek and Roman mythology, so named this new planet after the Roman god Neptune (Greek Poseidon). Neptune was the god of the waters and was a son of Chronos and a brother of Jupiter (Zeus) and of Pluto (Hades).
According to <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-277">NASA scientists</a>, the Voyager 1 spacecraft entered interstellar space in August 2012, becoming the first spacecraft to leave the <a href="/our_solar_system/solar_system.html">solar system</a>. The space probe is about 19 billion km from the <a href="/sun/sun.html">Sun</a>. <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html">Voyager 1 and 2</a> were launched in 1977 on a <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html">mission</a> that flew them both by <a href="/jupiter/jupiter.html">Jupiter</a> and <a href="/saturn/saturn.html">Saturn</a>, with Voyager 2 continuing to <a href="/uranus/uranus.html">Uranus</a> and <a href="/neptune/neptune.html">Neptune</a>. Voyager 2 is the longest continuously operated spacecraft. It is about 15 billion km away from the <a href="/sun/sun.html">Sun</a>.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of NASA</em></small></p>"Neptune Calming the Tempest" by Peter Paul Rubens (1635).<p><small><em>Image credit: (c)1996 President and Fellows of Harvard College, Harvard University Art Museums, Courtesy of the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University Art Museums Alpheus Hyatt Fund. To be reproduced only by permission of the Harvard University Art Museums, </em></small></p>

Explore Myths about Neptune and its Moons

Roman: Neptune

Neptune was the name that ancient Romans gave to the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes, ...Read more

Greek: Galatea

Many features of the Earth are named after mythological figures. An example is the story of ...Read more

Explore Myths about other nearby planets

Roman: Atlas

Ancient Romans Atlas was the leader of the giant Titans who fought a war against the gods. ...Read more

Greek: Pan

Pan is the Greek god protector of shepherds, sheep, and goats. According to an account of his ...Read more

Hindu: Sani

In Hindu mythology, Sani was identified with the planet Saturn. Sani's parents were the Sun ...Read more

Greek: Cronus

In Greek mythology, Cronus was the son of Uranus and Gaea. He lead his brothers and sisters, ...Read more

Greek: Uranus

Uranus, which was discovered by William Herschel in 1781, was unknown in ancient times. Astronomers ...Read more

Roman: Pluto

Following the defeat of the Titans by the Jovian gods, Pluto obtained the kingdom of the underworld. ...Read more

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that the Earth’s crust is thinner under the oceans than it is on the continents?

Do you know how Neptune was discovered?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Epicenter
xEpicenter : The epicenter is the point on the earth's surface vertically above the hypocenter (or focus), point in the crust where a seismic rupture begins.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Caribbean Coral Reef Protection Efforts Miss the Mark

Conservation efforts to protect endangered corals in the Caribbean focus on the areas that have the largest variety of species. Ann Budd of the University of Iowa and John Pandolfi of the University of...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA