Neptune

Dreamtime God of the Universal Sea-rules Pisces

Almost a twin in size to Uranus, it is 50 percent farther away from the Sun, yet its temperature is equal to or greater than that of Uranus. Like Saturn, Neptune generates internal heat, more than twice as much as it receives from the Sun. Its atmospheric storms and winds are the wildest in the solar system. Like the other gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, Neptune probably has no solid surface and it, too, has a short day of 16 hours. Its lovely blue color is from an abundance of methane in the atmosphere, which absorbs red light and reflects blue. Four bands shape a delicate ring system of ice crystals embedded in a magnetic field. Neptune has 8 known moons, two of which are unique in the solar system. Tiny Nereid has the most eccentric orbit and large Triton (Saturn and Neptune both have moons named Triton) orbits backwards. Neptune was discovered in 1846 by two astronomers in different locations, leading to some confusion, a trademark of Neptune. Named for the God of the Ocean, Neptunešs symbolism ranges like low and high tides from illusion, delusion, confusion, addiction and escapism, to aesthetic, mystical, spiritual compassionate and vibrational sensitivity. With an orbit of 165 years, Neptunešs passage through the zodiac lasts beyond a single lifetime and creates 14-year generations of people who share a particular theme to redeem for the collective consciousness.

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