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Name: Georgia
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Question:
What gives Neptune its bluish color?


Replies:
The light we see coming from Neptune is sunlight scattered by its upper atmosphere, rather than being reflected from its surface. Neptune's atmo- sphere contains a small amount of methane, which absorbs light in the red part of the spectrum. Thus, the sunlight by which we see Neptune is depleted in red light, and hence the planet appears bluish-green. (This explanation also applies to Uranus.)

RC Winther

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