* Voyager 2: This spacecraft, launched in 1977, flew past Neptune in 1989. It provided the first detailed images of the planet, its rings, and its moons. It also studied Neptune's atmosphere, magnetic field, and its Great Dark Spot, a massive storm similar to Jupiter's Great Red Spot.
While no other spacecraft has directly observed Neptune, we continue to gather information about the planet using:
* Earth-based telescopes: Astronomers use powerful telescopes on Earth to observe Neptune and study its atmosphere, rings, and moons.
* Space Telescopes: Telescopes like Hubble Space Telescope provide valuable data on Neptune's atmosphere and changes over time. The James Webb Space Telescope, with its advanced capabilities, promises to reveal new details about Neptune in the future.
So while Voyager 2 remains the only spacecraft to have flown by Neptune, we are continuing to learn about this distant planet through other means.
