What led scientists to the discovery of Neptune?

Answer 1

Both J.C. Adams of Cambridge and U.J.J. Le Verrier of Paris noticed anomalies in the orbit of Uranus. Because of Newton's Universal Gravitation, they predicted that there was another undisocered planet affecting Uranus' orbit. They predicted mathematically where the new planet (Neptune) would be. Both came very close. They both had observational astronomers (Challis and Galle) look for the planet. Galle already had a star map and found it first, and it was a great triumph for Le Verrier. Adams and Le Verrier are considered co-discoverers mathematically and Challis and Galle are considered co-discoverers observationally.

Answer 2

• Because the orbit of Uranus seemed to be affected by some gravitational pull,which they presumed to be from another planet and
• because if you were tracking the night sky and noticed a star "moving" slowly from night to night then you know it is something orbiting the sun like Earth does
• because after they saw the first few planets the gravitational pull between led

Adams (British) and Le Verrier (French) used observations of Uranus to show this

• its orbit was not exactly where it should be, and from that they calculatedbe.Adams finished first and sent his calculations to the Astronomer Royal, Airywho put them in a drawer and forgot about them. So it was Le Verrier who took the credit for the discovery. But Adams was allowed to share it.

Answer 3

Because a planets atmosphere was pulling Uranus and that was Neptune.

Answer 4

Yes, astronomers had noticed increasing errors in their models for the orbit of Uranus and eventually ruled out many explanations besides an outer planet that could be perturbing its orbit.