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

Galatea, whose name means "milk-white," was a sea nymph, one of the Nereids, who lived in the ...Read more

Explore Myths about other nearby planets

Roman: Atlas

In Roman mythology, the giant Atlas was the leader of the Titans who fought against the gods, ...Read more

Greek: Pan

Pan is the Greek god of wild nature. He protected shepherds, sheep, and goats. Pan's name is ...Read more

Hindu: Sani

In Hindu mythology, Sani is identified with the inauspicious planet Saturn and its Regent, ...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?

Do you know how far away the Oort cloud is?

Do you know what famous horror novel was written during the "Year Without a Summer"?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

P-wave
xP-wave : A compressional wave (or pressure wave) in the Earth's surface that shakes the ground back and forth in the same direction and the opposite direction as the direction the wave is moving

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Geologists Uncover Major Ancient Human Ancestor in South Africa

Researchers working in South Africa have discovered two remarkably well-preserved fossil skeletons of an ancient human ancestor dating to almost two million years ago. The discovery is described in two...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