Uranus

Why are Uranus and Neptune Different Colors? Haze

Way back in the late 1980s, the Voyager 2 spacecraft visited Uranus and Neptune. During the flybys, we got to…

2 years ago

Giant Balls of Mush Made From Ammonia and Water Form in the Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune

One advantage to planetary science is that insights from one planet could explain phenomena on another.  We understand Venus’ greenhouse…

3 years ago

What Mission Could Detect Oceans at Uranus’ Moons?

Exploration of ocean worlds has become a hot topic of late, primarily due to their role as a potential harbor…

3 years ago

Uranus X-Rays are Probably Reflected Sunlight, but There Could be Another Source as Well

X-rays offer a unique insight into the astronomical world.  Invisible to the naked eye, most commonly they are thought of…

3 years ago

Uranus’ Moons are Surprisingly Similar to Dwarf Planets in the Kuiper Belt

Astronomer William Herschel discovered Uranus—and two of its moons—230 years ago. Now a group of astronomers working with data from…

4 years ago

The Moons of Uranus Are Fascinating Enough On Their Own That We Should Send a Flagship Mission Out There

What’s the most interesting fact you know about Uranus? The fact that its rotational axis is completely out of line…

4 years ago

Uranus’ Rings are Surprisingly Bright in Thermal Emissions

New observations by ALMA and the VLT provide the most-detailed look yet at Uranus' system of rings, revealing things about…

5 years ago

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

Astronomers think they know how Uranus got flipped onto its side. According to detailed computer simulations, a body about twice…

5 years ago

Exploring the Ice Giants: Neptune and Uranus at Opposition for 2018

Have you seen all of the planets for yourself? This week is a good time to check off the most…

6 years ago

New Insights Into What Might Have Smashed Uranus Over Onto its Side

A new study by a team of NASA-supported researchers has shown how a giant impact could explain all of Uranus'…

6 years ago