Figure 7-41 Neptune’s Banded Structure (a) Several Hubble Space Telescope images at different wavelengths were combined to create this enhanced-color view of Neptune. The dark blue and light blue areas are the belts and zones, respectively. The slightly darker belt, running across the middle of the image, lies just south of Neptune’s equator. White areas are high-altitude clouds of methane ice. The very highest clouds are shown in yellow-red, as seen at the very top of the image. The green belt near the south pole is a region where the atmosphere absorbs blue light, probably indicating some differences in chemical composition. (b) Methane clouds above the belts and zones of Neptune.