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&dev=">solar system</a>. The space probe is about 19 billion km from the <a href="/sun/sun.html&dev=">Sun</a>. <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html&dev=">Voyager 1 and 2</a> were launched in 1977 on a <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html&dev=">mission</a> that flew them both by <a href="/jupiter/jupiter.html&dev=">Jupiter</a> and <a href="/saturn/saturn.html&dev=">Saturn</a>, with Voyager 2 continuing to <a href="/uranus/uranus.html&dev=">Uranus</a> and <a href="/neptune/neptune.html&dev=">Neptune</a>. Voyager 2 is the longest continuously operated spacecraft. It is about 15 billion km away from the <a href="/sun/sun.html&dev=">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

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