Category 1
How long is Uranus' orbit?
One year on Uranus is about 84 Earth years.
Uranus is the ____ planet from the Sun.
7th
*What telescope takes the best pictures of the planet?
The infrared telescope from Keck Observatory took the clearest pictures of Uranus to this day.
What type of planet is Uranus based on its composition?
It is a Jovian planet/gas giant because it is made up of gases, like Jupiter.
*What degree is the tilt of Uranus?
Uranus is tilted at 98 degrees, so it basically spins on its side.
*Who discovered Uranus and when?
William Herschel discovered Uranus about 240 years ago (1781) when he looked at the stars and noticed one orbited the Sun
How many known moons does Uranus have?
Uranus has 28 known moons
What colors are each of the categories of Uranus' rings and what are they composed of?
Innermost: dark gray, Middle: dusty red, Outermost: bright blue; They are made up of icy chucks darkened by rocks and dust.
How long does it take Uranus to rotate?
It takes Uranus 17 hours to complete 1 full rotation (1 day).
Which way does Uranus rotate?
Like Venus, Uranus rotates clockwise, or in retrograde motion, because of a collision with a large object.
*What is so special about Uranus' magnetic field?
it is lopsided and not in line with the poles/core; tilted at 60 degrees
Uranus' atmosphere is made up of...
Hydrogen, Helium, Methane
Uranus' outer moons are likely _______, even though the exact composition is unknown.
captured asteroids
*How long are the seasons (between equinoxes) on Uranus at the poles?
Both summer and winter last 42 years each. One side is covered in darkness for 42 years, while the other is in constant Sun. At equinox, the planet experiences the normal 8 hours of day and night.
What is so special about Uranus' rings?
they reflect very little light, making them one of the darkest things in the solar system
Why would a human not survive on Uranus?
all acceptable answers:
no solid surface, no breathable atmosphere, distance from the Sun, cold temperatures, high pressures as you get closer to the core
How did Uranus' rings form?
A small moon broke into pieces, was pulled in by the planet’s gravitational pull, and created the rings we know today.
*How did the collision with a large object affect Uranus? (4 effects)
It tilted the planet at 98 degrees, causing extreme 42 year long seasons especially at the poles, a magnetic field that is not in line with the core, and the planet's retrograde motion.
What two NASA technologies helped with the discovery of Uranus' moons and rings?
The Voyager 2 (the only spacecraft to visit Uranus) and Hubble Space Telescope discovered 23 of Uranus' moons and 8 of its rings.
What is the composition of Uranus' inner moons?
The inner moons are mainly composed of half water ice and half rock.
What are the "ices" in Uranus' mantel? (hint: 3)
water, ammonia, methane
*What is differential rotation and how does it affect Uranus?
Differential Rotation- different latitudes of a planet rotate at different speeds; On Uranus, the equator rotates slower than higher latitudes, so days on the equator are slightly longer.
*Why does Uranus appear the color it does?
As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, the methane in the clouds absorbs the red parts of the light, leaving a blue-green color.
What makes up Uranus' core? (hint: 3)
silicate (silicon/oxygen), iron, nickel
What are the 3 layers of Uranus' atmosphere?
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Thermosphere