Something Twice the Size of Earth Slammed into Uranus and Knocked it Over on its Side

By Evan Gough December 28, 2018
Something Twice the Size of Earth Slammed into Uranus and Knocked it Over on its Side

"Our findings confirm that the most likely outcome was that the young Uranus was involved in a cataclysmic collision with an object twice the mass of Earth, if not larger, knocking it on to its side and setting in process the events that helped create the planet we see today." - Jacob Kegerreis, Durham University.

  • Not only does Uranus rotate on its side, but so do its five largest moons.

  • It's magnetic field is also lopsided, and doesn't go out the poles.

  • It's the only planet where the interior heat doesn't escape from its core.

    • Sources:

  • Research Paper: Consequences of Giant Impacts on Early Uranus for Rotation, Internal Structure, Debris, and Atmospheric Erosion

  • Press Release: Cataclysmic Collision Shaped Uranus' Evolution

  • AGU Conference Abstract: How Uranus Fell Over: Consequences of Giant Impacts with High Resolution Simulations

  • Wikipedia: Uranus

    • Evan Gough

    Evan Gough

    Evan Gough is a science-loving guy with no formal education who loves Earth, forests, hiking, and heavy music. He's guided by Carl Sagan's quote: "Understanding is a kind of ecstasy."