MNN - Mother Nature Network

The beautiful blue orb of Neptune, named for the Roman god of the sea, is the eighth and farthest planet in our solar system from the sun. This honor used to reside with Pluto until it was demoted from planet status by the International Astronomical Union. Neptune has an equator that is four times as long as Earth’s. It is 17 times as heavy, though not as dense. We have one moon, while Neptune has 11. And now, thanks to the Voyager 2 spacecraft and the Hubble telescope, we can see Neptune as never before.