THE SOLAR SYSTEM:
NEPTUNE

PLANET NEPTUNE LESSON

Directions:

Print the Neptune reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

     Neptune is the eighth and last planet in our solar system.  It is 2 billion, 795 million miles from the sun.  That's about thirty times Earth's distance from the sun.  It is the fourth-largest planet.  It is the smallest of the gas giant planets, but it is about four times larger than Earth.  Its diameter is 30,750 miles or about 49,500 km. Its gravity is about 110% of Earth's gravity.  If you weigh 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 110 pounds on Neptune.

     Neptune does not have a solid surface.  It is a giant ball of gas with a center of rock and iron.  It looks blue-green and is covered with clouds.  Neptune, because of its bluish color, was named for the Roman god of the sea.  It looks blue because of the methane gas (1%) in its atmosphere.  Most of the atmosphere is hydrogen (74%) and helium (25%).  Several dark spots can be seen with a telescope.  They are believed to be storms.  The largest is called the Great Dark Spot and is about the same size as Earth.

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