Neptune

Early Observations

In 1612, when Galileo Galilei first looked at Jupiter through a telescope, he might have accidentally discovered Neptune, although he had no idea at the time. His sketches from December 28, 1612, and January 27, 1613, correspond to Neptune's position, but it appeared as a star due to its distance and retrograde motion 1 2. The discovery of Neptune truly began with the identification of Uranus in 1781, leading astronomers to suspect another planet's influence on its orbit 1.

   

Astronomers

French astronomer Urbain Leverrier and British astronomer John Couch Adams independently calculated Neptune's orbit, both receiving partial credit for its discovery. However, it was German astronomer Johann Galle who first observed Neptune on September 23, 1846, knowing it was a planet 2. The naming of Neptune was contentious, with Leverrier initially proposing it be named after himself, but ultimately, the name Neptune was universally accepted, fitting the convention of naming planets after gods 2.