Why was Neptune named after the Roman God of the sea?

Answer 1

When Neptune was discovered by Johann Galle in 1846 , there were several competing names including Janus, Oceanus and Le Verrier's Planet (for the French astronomer who accurately predicted its position in 1845). Using a Roman name matched the European tradition (only Uranus has a Greek name). The name Neptune, for the Roman god of the sea, was finally adopted later in 1846.

The bright blue color was only later verified.

Answer 2

Neptune was named after the Roman God of the deep sea, Neptune, for the following reasons:

• To uphold the tradition of naming planets in our system after mythological figures
• The planet appears to be blue like an ocean (there is no water on Neptune, however, it is a gas giant)
• It is in deep space. The God Neptune lived in deep sea, so the name fits well

Answer 3

Neptune was named after the Roman god of the sea because it was discovered due to its blue color, which was associated with the ocean. The name was proposed by Urbain Le Verrier, who also played a key role in predicting the planet's existence through mathematical calculations.