URANUS
Planet No. 7 • The Sideways Ice Giant
Welcome to the Uranus information file! Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and one of the two ice giants in our solar system. Its pale blue-green color comes from methane gas in its atmosphere, and the entire planet appears to roll around the Sun on its side.
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PLANET OVERVIEW
Uranus is an ice giant made mostly of hydrogen and helium, with large amounts of water, ammonia and methane deeper inside the planet. Methane in its upper atmosphere absorbs red light, helping give Uranus its soft blue-green appearance.
Uranus is especially unusual because its axis is tilted by about 98 degrees. Instead of spinning upright like most planets, Uranus rotates almost completely on its side.
Uranus is especially unusual because its axis is tilted by about 98 degrees. Instead of spinning upright like most planets, Uranus rotates almost completely on its side.
☀ LOCATION
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun. Its average distance from the Sun is about 1.8 billion miles.
SIZE
Uranus has a diameter of about 31,500 miles. It is roughly four times wider than Earth.
SIDEWAYS ROTATION
Uranus has an axial tilt of about 98 degrees. This means its poles can point almost directly toward or away from the Sun during parts of its long orbit.
☁ ATMOSPHERE
Uranus has an atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen and helium with a smaller amount of methane. Clouds of water, ammonia and other compounds are thought to exist at different depths.
✦ URANUS FAST FACTS ✦
| Position from Sun | 7th planet |
| Planet Type | Ice Giant |
| Length of Year | About 84 Earth years |
| Length of Day | About 17 hours |
| Moons | Dozens of known moons, including Titania, Oberon, Ariel, Umbriel and Miranda |
| Rings | Yes — a faint system of dark rings |
| Diameter | About 31,500 miles |
| Axial Tilt | About 98 degrees |
| Famous Feature | Rotates almost completely on its side |
WHAT IS URANUS LIKE?
Uranus is an extremely cold world. Temperatures in parts of its atmosphere can fall below -370°F, making it one of the coldest planetary atmospheres in the solar system.
Although Uranus can look calm and nearly featureless in many photographs, it has clouds, storms and powerful winds. Some winds in its atmosphere can travel hundreds of miles per hour.
Uranus also has a ring system. Its rings are much darker and less reflective than Saturn's and are made of relatively dark particles of ice and rock.
Although Uranus can look calm and nearly featureless in many photographs, it has clouds, storms and powerful winds. Some winds in its atmosphere can travel hundreds of miles per hour.
Uranus also has a ring system. Its rings are much darker and less reflective than Saturn's and are made of relatively dark particles of ice and rock.
★ DID YOU KNOW? ★
Because Uranus takes about 84 Earth years to orbit the Sun, each season lasts roughly 21 Earth years. Near the solstices, one pole can face the Sun for years while the opposite pole remains in darkness.
Because Uranus takes about 84 Earth years to orbit the Sun, each season lasts roughly 21 Earth years. Near the solstices, one pole can face the Sun for years while the opposite pole remains in darkness.
SPACECRAFT MISSION LOG
> DESTINATION: URANUS
> VOYAGER 2
Voyager 2 became the first and so far only spacecraft to visit Uranus when it flew past the planet in 1986.
> DISCOVERIES
Voyager 2 studied Uranus's atmosphere, magnetic field, rings and moons. It also returned close-up images of moons such as Miranda, revealing strange cliffs, valleys and other geological features.
> CURRENT OBSERVATIONS
Astronomers continue to study Uranus using telescopes on Earth and in space, observing its changing clouds, storms, rings and seasonal patterns.
> STATUS:
FUTURE MISSIONS TO THE URANUS SYSTEM ARE BEING STUDIED...
> VOYAGER 2
Voyager 2 became the first and so far only spacecraft to visit Uranus when it flew past the planet in 1986.
> DISCOVERIES
Voyager 2 studied Uranus's atmosphere, magnetic field, rings and moons. It also returned close-up images of moons such as Miranda, revealing strange cliffs, valleys and other geological features.
> CURRENT OBSERVATIONS
Astronomers continue to study Uranus using telescopes on Earth and in space, observing its changing clouds, storms, rings and seasonal patterns.
> STATUS:
FUTURE MISSIONS TO THE URANUS SYSTEM ARE BEING STUDIED...