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
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.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.
Wed, Dec 14 2011 at 9:30 AM EST
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.
Mon, Apr 11 2011 at 1:25 PM EST
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.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.Mon, Dec 13 2010 at 5:25 PM EST
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