15 Interesting Facts About Uranus

Uranus is located at a distance of about 2.88 billion km or 19.2 AU from the Sun. Since the planet follows an elliptical orbit to complete its revolution around the Sun, the above figure only represents the average distance between the planet and the Sun. At its closest point to the Sun, also known as the perihelion position, Uranus is 2.75 billion km or 18.4 AU away from the Sun. At the aphelion position or the most distant point, Uranus is separated from the Sun by a distance of 3 billion km or 20.1 AU.

How Far Is Uranus From The Earth?

The distance between the Earth and Uranus varies constantly depending on the movements of both the planets around the Sun. The closest distance between the two planets is 2.57 billion km and their furthest distance is 3.15 billion km.

Who Discovered Uranus?

Sir William Herschel, a British astronomer, observed the planet on March 13, 1781. He recorded his observations in the garden of his house in Somerset, England and reported it on April 26, 1781, where he misidentified the planet as a comet.

How Did Uranus Get Its Name?

The name of Uranus is derived directly from the name of a figure in Greek mythology, Uranus, the Greek deity of the sky.

What Is The Density Of Uranus?

The density of Uranus is 1.27 g per cubic cm, making it the Solar System’s second least dense planet.

What Is The Diameter Of Uranus?

The diameter of Uranus is 51,118 km and thus is four times bigger than the diameter of our planet Earth.

How Many Earths Would Fit In Uranus?

Uranus has a total volume of 6.833×10^13 cubic km. That means that 63 Earths would fit inside Uranus!

What Is Uranus Made Of?

Uranus is the second least dense planet in the Solar System after Saturn. The fact gives a clue about the composition of the planet. Various ices like methane, ammonia, and water make up the planet. The mass of ice in Uranus is not precisely known and is believed to vary between 9.3 and 13.5 Earth masses. Non-ice mass, hydrogen, and helium contributed to the remaining mass of the planet. Uranus can be divided into three layers: an inner rocky core, a middle icy mantle, and an outer gaseous layer made of hydrogen and helium.

How Many Rings Does Uranus Have?

Uranus has 13 known rings that range in radii from about 38,000 km to about 98,000 km. The rings are made of large bodies ranging in diameter from 0.2 to 20 m.

The Atmosphere Of Uranus

Uranus has a unique atmosphere consisting of three layers, the troposphere, the stratosphere, and the thermosphere. The atmosphere of the planet is the coldest in the Solar System and has temperatures dropping as low as 49 K. The lower layers of the atmosphere are rich in volatiles like methane, water, and ammonia. The upper atmosphere is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium.

How Many Moons Does Uranus Have?

Uranus has 27 moons or natural satellites. However, the moons of Uranus are the least massive among the moons of the giant planets of the solar system. The largest moon of Uranus, Titania, has a radius of 788.9 km that makes it the eighth largest moon in the Solar System. The moons are composed mainly of rock and ice in a roughly 1:1 ratio.

What Is The Temperature Of Uranus?

Uranus is the coldest planet in the Solar System. The temperature near the cloud tops of the planet is about -216 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature recorded in the tropopause of Uranus is −224 degrees Celsius.

Can Uranus Support Life?

If is difficult to answer the question whether Uranus can support life since the planet has conditions that both promote as well as discourage the survival of living beings. The planet has methane in abundance, a key biosignature. There is the possibility that a liquid ocean composed of water is present near the core. However, the bad news is that there is immense pressure in the planet’s core that would not support any life form known to us. Also, Uranus has the coldest atmosphere in the Solar System. So, no Earth-based life can survive under such extreme conditions but specially adapted extraterrestrial life might!