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Friday, May 25, 2012
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Eco-Glossary

Uranus

 
Uranus is the first of the ice giant planets. Its atmosphere, like Saturn and Jupiter’s, is filled with hydrogen and helium, but Uranus’ atmosphere also has high amounts of methane that gives the planet its blue tint as the light reflects off its cold tops.
 
Like Venus, Uranus rotates east to west, and a single rotation takes a little over 17 Earth hours. The planet has unique axis tilt that causes the planet to appear as if it is rotating on its side. Uranus takes 84 Earth years to complete a single orbit around the Sun. Two sets of rings encircle the planet, with the inner set being narrow and dark and the outer ring, unseen until 2003, is brightly colored.
 
Uranus has not been an object of significant study by scientists. Most of what is known about Uranus was gathered by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986, the only spacecraft to visit the planet. Other research of the planet has largely been performed with images gathered by the Hubble Telescope.
 
(Text by Noel Kirkpatrick)
(Photo: NASA

Articles about Uranus


Hubble captures auroras on Uranus

Mon, Apr 16 2012 at 7:33 AM EST
These are the first images of the event since NASA Voyager probe snapped images in 1986.
 

Saturn, Uranus and moon put on a show

Fri, Feb 10 2012 at 11:25 AM EST
The sky-based approaches between the objects in our solar systems are called conjunctions or appulses.
 

10 spectacular moons in our solar system

Wed, Dec 14 2011 at 9:30 AM EST
 

Uranus knocked sideways from multiple impacts

Tue, Oct 11 2011 at 2:34 PM EST
The planet's unique tilt indicates that major impacts were typical for the formation of planets.
 

8 outstanding images of the planet Uranus

Mon, Apr 11 2011 at 1:25 PM EST
 

6 planets shine in one new photo

Fri, Feb 18 2011 at 6:51 PM EST
A NASA spacecraft heading for Mercury beams back an amazing space photo: A family portrait of all the major planets except Uranus and Neptun.
 

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft nearing edge of the solar system

Fri, Dec 17 2010 at 3:23 PM EST
NASA's Voyager 1 probe is nearing the edge of our solar system after 33 years and nearly 11 billion miles of spaceflight. The spacecraft may make the final crossing into interstellar space in just four more years.
 

NASA: Voyager 1 nearing edge of solar system

Mon, Dec 13 2010 at 5:25 PM EST
Scientists estimate Voyager 1 completely exits the solar system and enters interstellar space in 2014.
 

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