Neptune Closeup

Stsci_2022-046c_1024

stsci_2022-046c September 21st, 2022

Credit: IMAGE: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI IMAGE PROCESSING: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) image of Neptune, taken on July 12, 2022, brings the planet’s rings into full focus for the first time in more than three decades.

The most prominent features of Neptune’s atmosphere in this image are a series of bright patches in the planet’s southern hemisphere that represent high-altitude methane-ice clouds. More subtly, a thin line of brightness circling the planet’s equator could be a visual signature of global atmospheric circulation that powers Neptune’s winds and storms. Additionally, for the first time, Webb has teased out a continuous band of high-latitude clouds surrounding a previously-known vortex at Neptune’s southern pole.

Provider: Space Telescope Science Institute

Image Source: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2022/news-2022-046

Curator: STScI, Baltimore, MD, USA

Image Use Policy: http://stsci.edu/copyright/

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Neptune
Subject - Solar System
Planet > Type > Gas Giant

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 0h 0m 0.0s
DEC = 0° 0’ 0.0”
Constellation
Pisces

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Webb (NIRCam) Infrared 1.4 µm
Green Webb (NIRCam) Infrared 2.1 µm
Orange Webb (NIRCam) Infrared 3.0 µm
Red Webb (NIRCam) Infrared 4.6 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Orange
Red
Stsci_2022-046c_1280
×
ID
2022-046c
Subject Category
A.1.1.2  
Subject Name
Neptune
Credits
IMAGE: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI IMAGE PROCESSING: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
Release Date
2022-09-21
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2022/news-2022-046
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance from Earth in miles: 2.69 billion
Facility
Webb, Webb, Webb, Webb
Instrument
NIRCam, NIRCam, NIRCam, NIRCam
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Orange, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
1400, 2100, 3000, 4600
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
0, 0
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
STScI
URL
http://stsci.edu
Name
Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach
Email
outreach@stsci.edu
Telephone
410-338-4444
Address
3700 San Martin Drive
City
Baltimore
State/Province
MD
Postal Code
21218
Country
USA
Rights
http://stsci.edu/copyright/
Publisher
STScI
Publisher ID
stsci
Resource ID
STSCI-J-p22046c-f-1680x1120.tif
Metadata Date
2022-09-21T15:38:21-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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