- Moon Name: Nereid
- Designation: Neptune II
- Date Discovered: May 1st, 1949
- Discovered by: G. Kuiper
- Average Orbit of Neptune: 3,426,127 mi
- Total Volume: 4,937,290 mi3
- Surface Area: 140,219.99 mi2
16 Nereid Facts for Kids
- Nereid is one of Neptune’s 14 known moons (natural satellites).
- Nereid is named after sea-nymphs in Greek mythology, who were the attendants of the god Neptune.
- Nereid is also designated Neptune II.
- Nereid was discovered on May 1st, 1949 by Gerard P. Kuiper.
- Nereid was discovered using an 82-inch telescope at the McDonald Observatory in Texas.
- Nereid was the second moon to ever be discovered orbiting Neptune.
- Nereid is classified as an irregular moon.
- The average orbit distance for Nereid is 3,426,127.66 mi.
- The surface area of Nereid is 140,219.99 mi2.
- The total volume of Nereid is 4,937,290.85 mi3.
- Nereid orbits the planet Neptune every 360.11 days or every 8,642.64 hours.
- Nereid completes a full rotation about every 11.59 hours.
- Nereid is the third largest moon of Neptune, based on diameter.
- Nereid is the ninth farthest moon from Neptune.
- Nereid has the most eccentric orbit for a moon in our Solar System.
- The Voyager 2 spacecraft is the only probe to visit and photograph Nereid.
Additional Resources on Neptune’s moon Nereid
- Learn About Nereid – Read more about Neptune’s moon Nereid on the NASA Solar System Exploration website.
- Nereid Data and Stats – Find the latest data and statistics of the moon Nereid on the NASA Solar System Exploration website.
- The Moons of Neptune – Discover more moons of the planet Neptune on the Britannica website.
- Nereid (Moon) – Wikipedia – Learn more about Nereid, one of Neptunes’s moons, on the Wikipedia website.