[astro-ph.EP] The formation of Uranus and Neptune remains poorly constrained largely due to uncertain deep elemental abundances. Carbon monoxide (CO), a disequilibrium species in the upper troposphere, provides an indirect […]
Neptune
Posted inNeptune
Neptune’s Inner Moons and Rings Are Exposed Icy Body Interiors
[astro-ph.EP] Neptune’s single large moon, Triton, is accompanied by a set of dusty rings and small moons whose composition and origin are uncertain.
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ice Giants Revisited: Uranus And Neptune As Magma Ocean Worlds
Uranus and Neptune are commonly interpreted as volatile-rich “ice giants”, an assumption that underpins most interior models.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Neptune, Status Report
Latitudinal Variations In Neptune’s Temperature Profile Observed With ALMA
Despite the low solar irradiation it receives, Neptune shows a very active atmosphere with some of the most intense dynamics observed in Solar System atmospheres. Characterizing the atmospheric temperature profiles […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Pluto, Press Release
Trans-Neptunian Object (612533) 2002 XV93 Has An Atmosphere – But Shouldn’t
A team of professional and amateur Japanese astronomers found evidence for a thin atmosphere around a small body in the outer Solar System. The object is so small that it […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Icy Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus
Reassessing Planetary Composition: Evidence Of Rock-dominated Envelopes In Uranus And Neptune
Although Uranus and Neptune are commonly classified as ice giants, their exact compositions remain poorly constrained. Recent studies of outer Solar System bodies challenge the traditional view that these planets […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Ice Giant, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Status Report, Titan, Uranus
HiDef Neighbors: Solar System Objects As Exoplanet Analogs I. Gaseous Objects, Planets, Planetary Systems, And Small Bodies
Context. Intermediate-resolution spectral observations are vital tools for characterizing the composition and physical properties of Solar System bodies in detail. At present, the planets and moons of our Solar System […]
Posted inIce Giant, Icy Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Triton, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Neptune’s Obliquity Was Likely Engendered By Triton’s Tidal Evolution
Neptune’s present axial tilt of approximately 28 deg. with respect to its orbital plane can be explained by collisions that its primordial core may have experienced with surrounding planetary embryos […]
Posted inConferences and Meetings, Ice Giant, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus
OPAG Town Hall at AGU Fall Meeting 2025: December 18
The Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) will hold a Town Hall at the AGU meeting in New Orleans, LA. Please join us for a community discussion! The steering committee will […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Ice Giant, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Neptune, Press Release, Uranus
Uranus And Neptune Might Be Rock Giants
The planets in the Solar System are typically divided into three categories based on their composition: the four terrestrial rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars), followed by the two […]