URANUS
A Cold, Mysterious and Distant Planet
Get UR Adventure Gear Ready!
Want to go on an adventure of a lifetime! Imagine traveling to the far reaches of the solar system to the seventh planet from the sun!
- Uranus is 1,780,000,000 miles from the sun so bring ur snacks for this trip, and charge ur iPods! It is the third largest planet in the solar system. It is huge and has a nice blue-green color that you can only see from a telescope.
- The average surface temperature is -346˚fahrenheit (-210˚celsius). That's cold!
- Days are different at Uranus. The planet has a counterclockwise spin and it rotates on a 97.9˚axis. So this planet spins sideways! Days are 18 hours long and the sun rises in the west and sets in the East because the planet rotates backwards. Because of the axis seasons here are extreme.
- Uranus is not a solid planet. It has an atmosphere made up of 85% hydrogen, 12% helium and 3% methane (so don't bring ur matches when you visit). Uranus has a gravitational field and a magnetic field. It is made up of mostly of water and ammonia, so be careful not to bring bleach on this trip! This is sometimes called an ocean, and if it were one it could be 6,000 miles deep. The inner core is rocky.
- There are 27 moons around Uranus. Titania is the largest, Ariel is the brightest and Miranda has an awkward terrain that makes it look like it was ripped apart and put back together multiple times.
- Key attractions of Uranus--There have been thirteen rings discovered around this planet. The inner rings are grayish but one outer ring is red and another outer ring is blue.
- This planet is unusual because it is tipped on its side. Scientists think this happened when Uranus crashed into a planet-sized body.
If you are lucky enough to go on this trip, it will be one that you will never forget!
Miranda
One of many moons
Uranus
Who turned it sideways?
Night Sky
Many moons and stars