Neptune Data

(The second value represents the quantity as a fraction of the terrestrial value.)

Bulk parameters

Mass                         102.43e24 kg         17.147
GM                            6.8351e6 km3/s2     17.15
Equatorial radius               24,766 km          3.883
Polar radius                    24,342 km          3.830
Flattening                   17.081e-3             5.03
Mean density                     1,638 kg/m3       0.297
J2                                4e-3             3.151
Surface gravity (equator)        11.00 m/s2        1.125
Escape velocity                   23.5 km/s        2.10

Orbital parameters

Semimajor axis                4.4966e9 km         30.06
Sidereal period                60,189. d         164.79
Tropical period               59,799.9 d         163.73
Eccentricity                   0.00858             0.514
Inclination                      1.773 deg
Synodic period                  367.49 d
Mean orbital velocity             4.75 km/s        0.159


Radiative properties

Bond albedo                       0.82             2.13
Visual geometric albedo           0.41             1.12
Visual magnitude V(1,0)          -6.87
Solar irradiance                  1.47 W/m2        0.00107
Black-body temperature            33.2 K           0.134

Spin properties*

Epoch                           1994.0
North pole (RA and Dec)         299.25 deg / 42.94 deg
Obliquity                        28.31 deg
Argument of prime meridian      147.30 deg at epoch
Sidereal rotation rate     536.3128492 deg/d
Sidereal rotation period         16.11 h
* Magnetic coordinates (as determined by the Voyager 2 Radio Science experiment)

Neptunian Magnetosphere

Goddard Space Flight Center OTD (O8) Model
Dipole strength                  0.142 gauss-Rn3
Dipole tilt to spin axis          46.9 deg
Longitude of tilt                  288 deg (IAU convention)
Dipole offset                     0.55 Rn
Note: Rn denotes Neptunian radii, here defined to be 24,765 km

Neptunian Atmosphere

Surface pressure                >> 100 bar
Average temperature                ~58 K
Temperature at 1 bar               ~72 K
Density at 1 bar                 ~0.45 kg/m3
Wind speeds                   0 to 200 m/s
Scale height              19.1 to 20.3 km
Mean molecular weight     2.53 to 2.69 g/mol
Composition:
  Hydrogen       (H2)        89%
  Helium         (He)        11%
  Methane        (CH4)       ? ppm
Aerosols:  Ammonia ice; water ice; ammonia hydrosulfide; methane ice(?)

Osculating Orbital Elements

Epoch                     JD 2449360.5
Mean distance                   30.167 AU
Eccentricity                    0.0062
Inclination                       1.77 deg
Longitude of ascending node     131.76 deg
Longitude of perihelion          25.34 deg
Mean longitude at epoch         291.62 deg

Satellite Data
Ring Data

Solar System Directory
Glossary