7 stunning images of Neptune captured by NASA

Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. By diameter, it is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System.

Neptune is the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times the mass of Earth.

 NASA's Voyager 2 captured this image of Neptune in which the picture on the right was taken five hours after that at left, during which time the planet rotated 100 degrees.

These thermal images show a hot south pole on the planet Neptune. These warmer temperatures provide an avenue for methane to escape out of the deep atmosphere. 

NASA's Voyager 2 captured this image  at a range of 4.4 million miles from the planet, 4 days and 20 hours before closest approach.  

In this false color image of Neptune, objects that are deep in the atmosphere are blue, while those at higher altitudes are white.

This dramatic view of the crescents of Neptune and Triton was acquired by Voyager 2 approximately 3 days, 6 and one-half hours after its closest approach to Neptune north is to the right.

Credit: NASA