Introduction
Neptune is the eighth planet farthest from the sun, which is dominated by a stunning azure color and its turbulent atmosphere. Recently, astronomers noticed that the clouds of the planet Neptune have disappeared and no longer exist according to what was reported by the British newspaper (Independent), What is the nature of the planet Neptune? How are its clouds formed? What is the reason behind her disappearance? Learn about that in this article.
Overview of Planet Neptune
The Planet Neptune is the fourth largest planet in the solar system, and is located in the eighth place in terms of its distance from the sun. Hydrogen constitutes the largest percentage of the components of the planet’s atmosphere, in addition to smaller percentages of helium and methane. The planet’s atmosphere is considered very cold, as the average temperature in it reaches - 225 degrees Celsius, and is characterized by intense activity, as it is plagued by high-speed winds that may reach 1,500 km/hour.
How do Neptune's Clouds Form?
Neptune's clouds form above most of the methane in the planet's atmosphere and reflect all colors of sunlight, making the clouds appear white. Cloud formation takes a relatively long time due to chemical changes (photochemistry) that occur high in the upper atmosphere.
The Reason Behind the Disappearance of the Clouds of Neptune Planet
Neptune is the farthest large planet in our solar system and receives sunlight about 0.1% of the intensity received by Earth. Astronomers suggest that there is a relationship between the clouds of the planet Neptune and the solar cycle, or what is called solar activity, which lasts for about 11 years. After the planet was monitored for nearly three decades through NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the telescope showed a set of archival images taken that during the period from 1994 to 2020, there was an increase and decrease in the amount of cloud cover on Neptune, As the number of clouds grows increasingly after the peak in the solar cycle as the sun's activity level rises and falls rhythmically over an 11-year period.
The following set of images shows the changing shape of clouds on the planet, by NASA:
Currently, the planet's clouds of Neptune are low and almost completely hidden, except for the clouds hovering over its south pole, according to NASA. The clouds are characterized by being white and soft and composed of frozen methane crystals, strong winds hit these clouds at speeds that may reach 2100 km/h.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned about the nature of the planet Neptune, how its clouds are formed, and why it disappeared. There are many changes that have occurred in the nature of the planets and moons located within the solar system, especially in recent years. Follow us to learn more science news.
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