The Discovery of Neptune: Predicted by Math

Neptune was the first planet discovered through mathematics, not direct observation.
In the 1840s, Uranus’s orbit showed strange deviations from predictions.
French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier calculated where the unknown planet must be.
At the same time, British mathematician John Couch Adams reached similar results.
On September 23, 1846, Neptune was observed near Le Verrier’s predicted spot.
Johann Galle at the Berlin Observatory confirmed the discovery.
The find was a triumph for Newton’s law of gravitation.
Neptune’s discovery showcased the power of mathematical astronomy.
It sparked national pride and rivalry between France and Britain.
Today, Neptune is seen as a symbol of science’s ability to predict the unseen.