Does Neptune Have Rings?
Neptune does have rings. In 1989, Voyager II returned images of six dark, thin, and very faint rings that fully surround Neptune.
Neptune’s Largest Ring
The outer ring is named the Adams ring, in honor of British astronomer John Couch Adams. Measuring from the center of the planet to the start of the ring, Adams has an orbital radius of 57,600 kilometers, making it the largest in size. The Adams ring consists of notable arcs including Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, and Courage. [“Solar System Exploration: Planets: Neptune: Rings.” NASA]
Neptune’s Ring System
Along with Adams, the remaining rings were named after astronomers who made their lifelong contributions to studying the planet. The other rings, listed in order of increasing distance from Neptune, are Galle (41,900km), Le Verrier (53,200km), Lassell (55,400km), Arago (57,600km). The sixth ring of faint material is often referred to as Galatea after Neptune’s moon, with which it shares an orbit. [“Neptune (planet): The ring system” Britannica Online Encyclopedia]
