Uranus - The Ice Giant

Uranus is the 7th planet from the Sun, like Neptune it belongs to the group of ice giants. It is the 4th planet by mass and 3rd by size.

The planet is sometimes visible to the naked eye, but in brightness it resembles a dim star. Therefore, Uranus was only discovered after the invention of the telescope.

It consists mainly of water, ammonia, methane, and hydrogen sulfide in solid state and rocky materials.

10 Facts About Uranus

  • Uranus is the 7th planet of the solar system. This is the first planet discovered using a telescope.
  • Uranus has 27 satellites, a ring system, and a magnetosphere.
  • All satellites are named after characters from works by William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
  • Uranus's rotation axis is strongly tilted compared to other planets and lies almost in the orbital plane. Uranus is more like a rolling ball than a spinning top.
  • A year on Uranus lasts 84 Earth years.
  • Despite Uranus not being the most distant planet, it is considered the coldest planet.
  • Uranus is the most "expressionless" planet among the giant planets. No cloud bands or atmospheric storms are visible on its surface.
  • This is the lightest planet among the giant planets. Its mass is 14.5 times greater than Earth's mass.
  • The only spacecraft that explored Uranus was NASA's Voyager-2 (1986).
  • The next launch of a spacecraft for research near Uranus is planned only for 2020.
Фотография Урана с Хаббла. Фотография Урана, сделанная Voyager 2 Инфракрасное композитное изображение двух полушарий Урана Уран, кольца и спутники Cамая резкая и самая подробная картина планеты на сегодняшний день.