Approaching Neptune | Space Wallpaper

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Approaching Neptune
In 1989, Voyager 2 approached Neptune and captured the first images of the soft, elongated cirrus-type clouds in the planet's atmosphere. (Image credit: Voyager 2, NASA)

Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Neptune in 1989, and two hours before the robot spacecraft gathered the first images of the soft, elongated cirrus-type clouds over the planet. Neptune's atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and helium with small amounts of methane, which account for its bluish color. [See more photos of Neptune.]

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Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor. 

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