| NASA Center: |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
|---|
| Image # : |
PIA01491 |
|---|
| Date : |
07/27/1989
|
|---|
|
Title
Neptune and Tritron
Full Description
This image was returned by the Voyager 2 spacecraft on July 3, 1989,
when it was 76 million kilometers (47 million miles) from Neptune. The
planet and its largest satellite, Triton, are captured in the field of
view of Voyager's narrow-angle camera through violet, clear and orange
filters. Triton appears in the lower right corner at about 5 o'clock
relative to Neptune.
Measurements from Voyager images show Triton to be between 1,400
and 1,800 kilometers (about 870 to 1,100 miles) in radius with a
surface that is about as bright as freshly fallen snow. Because Triton
is barely resolved in current narrow-angle images, it is too early to
see features on its surface.
Scientists believe Triton has at least a small atmosphere of methane
and possibly other gases. During its closest approach to Triton on
August 25, 1989, Voyager provided high-resolution views of the
moon's icy surface and reveal whether Triton's atmosphere has clouds.
JPL manages the Voyager Project for NASA's Office of Space Science and
Applications, Washington, DC.
Keywords
Neptune Triton Voyager 2 Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL
Subject Category
Voyager-Galileo, Planet-Neptune, Neptunes Moons,
Reference Numbers
- Center:
JPL
- Center Number:
PIA01491
- GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2000-000442
Source Information
- Creator/Photographer: NASA
- Original Source: DIGITAL
| Resolution | Format | Width
(Pixels) | Height
(Pixels) | Size
(KBytes) |
Thumbnail |
.jpg |
62 |
80 |
7 |
Small |
.jpg |
442 |
571 |
127 |
Medium |
.jpg |
1037 |
1339 |
761 |
Large |
.jpg |
2073 |
2678 |
3,403 |
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Updated October 31, 2002
• History Questions: NASA History Office
• Responsible NASA Official: Steve Garber
• Author: Michael Hahn. Editor: Dwayne A. Day
• Curator & Technical Questions: Erin Needham
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