September 23, 1846

Neptune was the first planet discovered not with a telescope, but rather with pen and paper.
After the discovery of Uranus in 1781, astronomers noticed that the planet’s orbit was slightly off.
Based on this aberration, John Couch Adams and Urbain Jean Joseph Leverrier used math
to hypthosize that the gravity from another planet was affecting Uranus’ orbit.
With pen and paper, they figured out not only where Neptune should be, but also how large it must be.
It was not until 1846, however, that Neptune’s existance was verified when
Johann Gottfried Galle saw the planet for the first time.

Earth and Sky: Skywatching
Ever wish you had an experienced astronomer standing by your side to guide you to the nightly show? Now you do. Meet Deborah Byrd, Skywatching columnist. “Each day’s segment is designed to guide your eye to something you can see that night, or the next morning before dawn. It might be a constellation, a star, or a planet. Or it might be a celestial event, such as an eclipse.” In addition to this feature, teachers and lower-elementary kids have their own sections, accessible from the lunar menu at the top of each page.

[Continue reading Stargazing]

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