Naiad

Naiad — moon orbiting Neptune, explore its interactive 3D model in Cosmoscope.

Explore Naiad in a live 3D Solar System. Follow its calculated motion and inspect real astronomical data, distances and orbital facts.

Neptune’s innermost moon laps the planet in about seven hours, faster than Neptune spins, so tides are slowly dragging it inward. Its tilted orbit weaves it above and below its neighbour Thalassa in a “dance of avoidance”: the two never pass closer than about 3,500 km.

Radius

29 km

Orbit

48k km from Neptune

Period

0.29 days

Discovered

1989 — Voyager 2

Rank

Neptune’s innermost moon

Tilt

Orbit tilted ~5° to Neptune’s equator; the tilt swings round every 7 months

Neighbour

A 73:69 rhythm with Thalassa keeps them ~3,500 km apart

Shape

About 96 × 60 × 52 km; drawn as a sphere

Explore Naiad in 3D

Cosmoscope places Naiad in the Solar System using astronomical ephemeris or orbital elements, updated for the simulation time. Explore its calculated motion, distance and orbital facts in the interactive 3D view. Accuracy depends on the orbital model and its valid time range.