This is part of a whole solar-system model that spans central Florida.

Neptune ♆

Neptune is still pretty mysterious. We didn’t know about Neptune until it was discovered in 1846. It’s so far away that, since then, it’s only been around the Sun barely once. We have (so far) discovered thirteen moons around it, and we count 6 rings.

Neptune’s diameter is 49,100km. It orbits the Sun at about 4.5 billion km, or 30.1AU, or 250light-min away from the middle of the solar system

The model of Neptune is 63.5cm in diameter, and is about 58.2km distant from the fountain dome in Lake Eola Park

Triton

Neptune’s most massive moon is Triton. It has a diameter of 2707km, and orbits at a distance of 355,000km. It’s the only large moon in the solar system that moves opposite to the rotation of the planet it orbits. It’s also volcanically active, which is rare. Triton was probably a dwarf planet like Pluto but was captured by Neptune’s gravity to become a moon. When it was captured, it disrupted Neptune’s original moons so much they collided and formed Neptune’s disc of rubble. It’s massive enough to retain a thin atmosphere with clouds and hazes.

In model terms, Triton’s model diameter is 3.5cm, and its model distance from Neptune is 459cm.

Model sites and proposed sites