Neptune news, features and articles

The ice giant Neptune is the farthest planet from our sun and takes around 165 Earth years to complete its orbit. Learn all about this cold, blue planet with Live Science's specialist Neptune coverage. From why there's something strange going on inside Neptune to how scientists probed Neptune's weird, alien waters to the likelihood of "diamond rain" on Uranus and Neptune to images of the ghostly rings of Neptune, our expert writers and editors break down the biggest discoveries made about this distant planet with the latest Neptune news, features and articles.
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James Webb telescope captures auroras on Neptune for first time ever
By Skyler Ware published
The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully detected auroras on Neptune for the first time ever, finishing a job that NASA's Voyager 2 probe began decades ago.

Space photo of the week: 1st-ever close-up of Neptune is Voyager 2's final portrait of a planet
By Jamie Carter published
Voyager 2, NASA's longest-running mission, explored Neptune during a historic encounter on Aug. 25, 1989, sending back humanity's first close-ups of the planet.

Neptune keeps growing enormous dark and bright spots, and scientists don't know why
By Robert Lea published
Scientists are still in the dark about what is causing a huge shadowy patch to appear against the blue background of Neptune’s sky.

All of Neptune's clouds have mysteriously disappeared, and the sun may be to blame
By Ben Turner published
The disappearance of the gas giant's clouds is tied to the sun's 11-year cycle.

Ghostly rings of Neptune shine in new James Webb Telescope images
By Brandon Specktor published
The James Webb Space Telescope zooms in on Neptune to reveal the icy planet's collection of little-known rings

Neptune: The farthest planet from our sun
By Patrick Pester published
Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun in our solar system and home to blistering winds and diamond rain.

Astronomers perplexed by plummeting temperatures in Neptune's atmosphere
By Harry Baker published
A surprising new study has revealed that atmospheric temperatures in Neptune's southern hemisphere have decreased in the past 17 years, despite the region entering its summer.

'Diamond rain' on Uranus and Neptune seems likely
By Paul Sutter published
Hiding beneath the outer layers of some planets, there may be something spectacular: a constant rain of diamonds.
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