Neptune
The eighth and outermost planet of the solar system, named after Neptune, the Roman god of the sea identified with the Greek Poseidon, because of its blue colour
The Meaning of Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun, named after Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, identified with the Greek Poseidon. The planet was discovered in 1846 through mathematical prediction rather than direct observation — the French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier calculated its position based on perturbations in the orbit of Uranus, and Johann Galle found it at the Berlin Observatory within one degree of the predicted location. The blue colour caused by methane in Neptune's atmosphere made the name of the sea god a natural choice. Neptune's largest moon, Triton, was named after the merman son of Poseidon, and was discovered just seventeen days after the planet itself. In Greek mythology, Poseidon ruled the seas with his trident, commanded earthquakes, and created horses. Neptune is a fitting planetary namesake: it is the windiest planet in the solar system, with storms reaching speeds of over two thousand kilometres per hour — tempests worthy of the god who could calm or destroy the seas at will. The planet's deep blue coloration and violent atmosphere mirror the mythological ocean at its most beautiful and most dangerous.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Fun Fact
Neptune was the first planet discovered through mathematics rather than observation — predicted on paper before anyone had seen it through a telescope
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Uranus
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The seventh planet from the Sun, named after Ouranos, the primordial Greek god of the sky and the earliest supreme deity in the mythological genealogy
Saturn
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The sixth planet from the Sun, named after Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and time identified with the Greek Titan Kronos, father of Zeus
Jupiter
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The largest planet in the solar system, named after Jupiter, the Roman king of the gods identified with the Greek Zeus, because of its commanding size and brightness
Mars
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The fourth planet from the Sun, named after Mars, the Roman god of war identified with the Greek Ares, because its reddish colour suggested blood and conflict
Aphrodite
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The planet Venus is named after the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, because it is the brightest and most beautiful object in the night sky after the Moon
Venus
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The second planet from the Sun and the brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon, named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love identified with the Greek Aphrodite
Pluto
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
A dwarf planet named after Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld identified with the Greek Hades, chosen because of its extreme distance and darkness at the edge of the solar system
Mercury
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The smallest and fastest planet in the solar system, named after Mercury, the Roman messenger god identified with the Greek Hermes, because of its rapid orbital speed
Ganymede
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The largest moon in the solar system, named after Ganymede, the beautiful Trojan prince abducted by Zeus to serve as cupbearer of the gods on Olympus
Triton
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
The largest moon of Neptune, named after Triton, the merman son of Poseidon, notable for being the only large moon in the solar system that orbits in the opposite direction to its planet
Europa
💭 conceptAstronomy and mythology
A moon of Jupiter named after Europa, the Phoenician princess abducted by Zeus in the form of a white bull, now one of the most promising candidates for extraterrestrial life
Helium
💭 conceptChemistry and mythology
A chemical element named after Helios, the Greek god of the sun, because it was first detected in the solar spectrum before being found on Earth