This is an image of Triton, Neptune's largest moon. The image was taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in August 1989. Click on image for full size (168K GIF) Image courtesy NASA.

Neptune has moons. As is the case with all of the gas giant planets in our Solar System, it also has a series of rings.

Neptune's ring system is very different from the ring system found at Saturn. Neptune's rings are much darker than Saturn's bright rings. Saturn's rings are mostly composed of ice, whereas Neptune's appear to be made of small rocks and dust.

Neptune has one very large moon named Triton. Triton is one of the coldest places in the Solar System. However, Triton appears to be geologically active. It has active geysers, similar to those found at Yellowstone Park on Earth, but Triton's geysers spew out ice instead of steam. Triton may also have a water environment like that of Earth's north pole. This liquid environment might be suitable for the existence of life. This icy moon has a very thin atmosphere and an interior which may be active.

The rest of Neptune's moons are much smaller than Triton. Nereid was discovered by Gerard Kuiper in 1949. Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Naiad, Proteus and Thalassa were discovered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989. Five more small moons have been discovered recently; three in 2002 and two more in 2003. The most recently discovered moons don't yet have official names.

This is a picture of Triton, Neptune's largest moon. The picture was taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in August 1989. Click on image for full size (168K GIF) Image courtesy NASA.

Neptune has moons. It also has rings, but its rings are different from Saturn's.

Neptune's largest moon is named Triton. Triton is much larger than any of the planet's other moons. Triton is a very cold place, so the moon is covered with ice. Even though Triton is cold there is a lot going on there. It has geysers like the ones at Yellowstone Park on Earth. The geysers shoot ice 8 km (5 miles) high into Triton's thin atmosphere! There may be water under the ice at Triton. It is even possible that there might be life in that water. The interior of Triton is probably geologically active.

The rest of Neptune's moons are much smaller than Triton. Nereid was discovered by Gerard Kuiper in 1949. Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Naiad, Proteus and Thalassa were found by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989. Five more small moons have been found recently. Three of those were discovered in 2002 and two more were found in 2003. The newest moons don't have official names yet.

Neptune's rings are much darker than Saturn's bright rings. Saturn's rings are made of ice, which reflects lots of light. Neptune's rings are probably made of rocks and dust. Rocks and dust don't reflect as much light.

This is a picture of Triton. Triton is Neptune's largest moon. The picture was taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Click on image for full size (168K GIF) Image courtesy NASA.

Neptune has moons. It also has rings, but its rings are different from Saturn's.

Neptune's largest moon is named Triton. Triton is much larger than any of Neptune's other moons. Triton is a very cold place, so the moon is covered with ice. Triton has geysers like the ones at Yellowstone Park on Earth. The geysers on Triton shoot out ice instead of steam. The geysers shoot ice 8 km (5 miles) high into Triton's thin atmosphere!

The rest of Neptune's moons are much smaller than Triton. Gerard Kuiper discovered a moon named Nereid in 1949. Other moons named Despina, Galatea, Larissa, Naiad, Proteus and Thalassa were found by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989. Five more small moons have been found. Three of those were discovered in 2002. Two more were found in 2003. The newest moons don't have official names yet.

Neptune's rings are much darker than Saturn's bright rings. Saturn's rings are made of ice, which reflects lots of light. Neptune's rings are probably made of rocks and dust. Rocks and dust don't reflect as much light.