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| The Uranus |
The Uranus is seventh planet from our Sun. Uranus is known as the “Sideway Planet” because it rotates on its side. The Uranus is named after the Greek god of sky Uranus. According to Greek mythology the Uranus was the grandfather of Zeus and father of Cronus. The is the third largest planet in our solar system. The Uranus’s axis of rotation is tilted by 98 degrees which is relative on its side. According to some theory’s scientists, the earth’s sized body collided with Uranus, this radically throwing off its rotation. The axial tilt causes seasons. There are four seasons on the Uranus but the seasons one very different them seasons on earth. The Uranus required 84 earth days to complete on orbit around the sun. The season on Uranus lasts 21 earth years as the Uranus tilted on its sides, this mean the one of the poles of Uranus always points to sun. During summer seasons, the other poles experiences winter and never sees the sun, For 21 long years. At the summer side, there is continuous day light for 21 long years.
The Uranus has a ring as like the Saturn. But the rings of Uranus are not as complex and as beautiful as Saturn. The Uranus is surrounded by 13 faint rings Uranus has 2 sets of rings, the inner rings and outer rings. The naming of rings is different from the Saturn. The names are given after the mathematical symbols mostly and only three of them and named as a number. The Uranus has 27 know moons. The names of the Uranus moons are given after the characters from the works of William Shakespheare and Alexander Pope.
Uranus
is very cold and windy. The Uranus is ice giant. The Uranus is not last planet
from sun but it is very coldest planet in our solar system. The colour of
Uranus is bull blue due to presence of methane, which absorbs red light.
Atmosphere
of the Uranus
The
atmosphere of Uranus composed with 2 mains elements hydrogen and helium. There are
traces of water, ammonia and methane. The atmosphere of Uranus is the coldest
of all the planets. Temperature reaching as low of 49k. the percentage of molecular
hydrogen 82.5%, helium 15.2% and methane 2.3%. As on Earth, the atmosphere is
divided into layers. The atmosphere of Uranus is also divided into layers. There
are main three layers of atmosphere. Tratosphere, Stratosphere, Thermosphere.
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| Atmosphere of Uranus |
Tratosphere
is lowest and densest part of atmosphere. Tratosphere starts from -500 km to 50
km. This layer has methane clouds, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia clouds and
ammonium hydrosulphide. The Tratosphere holds almost all of the mass of
atmosphere. The Stratosphere above the Tratosphere, starts from 50 km to 4000
km. The Stratosphere has carbon monoxide along with some traces of water vapor
and carbon dioxide. These hydrocarbons are heavier than methane. So, they are
present in between 160 km to 320 km. The Thermosphere is outermost layer of the
Uranus. The Thermosphere starts from 4000 km to high as 5000 km. The
Thermosphere has a uniform temperature between 800 k to 850 k. This temperature
is much higher than the thermosphere of Saturn. The atmosphere of Uranus is
mostly made up of hydrogen and helium. But in thermosphere, there is large
proportion of free hydrogen atoms present. But here helium is absent in
thermosphere. The entire thermosphere and near the ending of Stratosphere,
there is large concentration of ions and electrons, forming ionosphere of
Uranus. The last layer of Uranus is exosphere, where mean free path of
molecules exceeds the scale height.
Magnetic field of the Uranus
The
magnetic field of Uranus is very different from the other planet’s magnetic
field. The magnetic field of Uranus is a strange magnetic field. The magnetic
poles of the Uranus are far from the geographical poles. The magnetic poles are
tilted 59 degrees away from planet’s rotational axis. The magnetic field
doesn’t quite go through the centre of the planet Uranus. The Uranus has
weirdest magnetic field in our solar system. As the magnetic poles are tilted,
the magnetosphere is also tilted 59 degrees. This will open and closes magnetic
field of Uranus to the solar wind, every day during its 17 hours rotation.
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| The Magnetic field of Uranus |
The
magnetic field of Uranus is generated by convection current in an electrically
conducting interior. The magnetic field around Earth is much like a bar magnet
called as dipoles. But the complicated magnetic field of Uranus has a part with
four poles. Because of these poles the magnetic field of Uranus varies from
place to place. According to scientists’ studies, the magnetic field of Uranus
is generated by the electrical currents in a salty ocean inside it. But the
oceans are not at the core of the planet. So, may be that’s why the magnetic
field of Uranus is very odd.
Inner Composition of the Uranus
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| Inner composition of Uranus |
The
Uranus is ice giant unlikely Jupiter and Saturn. The Uranus is second less
dense planet in our solar system. The Uranus is mostly composed of ice. The
different ices like ammonia, ice of water and ice of methane. The Uranus has
three inner layers. The first is the central core. The core is probably made of
rocky material like silicate, iron-nickel. The core of Uranus is 20% of all
mass. As compared with the Earth, the core mass is 0.55 Earth masses. And the
mass of Uranus is roughly 14.5 times that of Earth. This makes the Uranus least
massive of giant planet. Now around the central rocky core, the mantle is
present. The mantle is mostly the icy substances as we discussed above. The ice
is of ammonia, methane and water. This is referring to the icy oceans. After the
mantle, the third layer is gaseous layer. This gaseous layer mainly composed of
hydrogen and helium. According to some data, the Uranus has a liquid metallic
hydrogen but less in amount than Jupiter and Saturn. The hydrogen is from
gaseous layer which may used to form liquid metallic hydrogen. The mantle of
Uranus is exactly the ice. But it is a hot dense liquid. This liquid is of
water, ammonia, methane and some other substances. Some theory explains that
the mantle of Uranus is made up of water-ammonia ocean.
Uranus Orbit around the Sun
The
Uranus is seventh planet from the Sun. The distance between the Sun and the
Uranus is approximately 2.875 billion km or 1.786 billion miles. The Perihelion
is at 2.742 billion km or 1.7 billion miles. The aphelion is at 3 billion km or
1.86 billion miles. The Uranus required 84 years to complete one orbit around
the sun. the Uranus required 17 hours to complete one rotation around its axis.
The axis of Uranus is tilted approximately 98 degrees that means the Uranus
rotates around its sides. So, Uranus known as “Sideway Planet”. As like Venus,
the Uranus rotates in opposite direction than other planets. Every quarter of
year of Uranus, our sun directs to pole and other pole goes into 42 years long
night and dark winter. The average orbital speed of Uranus is 6.8 km per second
or 4.225 miles per second.
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| Orbit of the Uranus |
Because
of Uranus’s unimaginable tilt, the Uranus during the point of the Uranian
solstices, one pole faces the sun continuously, while another pole faces away.
Only a thin strip part of Uranus experiences 42 years of continuous sunlight
and the other pole at some time experiences 42 years of continuous night. And
the time of equinox, the equator of Uranus facing the sun, so the Uranus
experiences the day-night cycle as like on our Earth.
Ring of the Uranus
The
Uranus has a ring around it, as like Saturn. But the ring is not as complex as
Saturn ring and the Uranus ring is not as beautiful as Saturn ring. The Uranus
as 13 rings. The rings are very thin, dark and has a wide separation. The rings
are dark like Jupiter, but they are not dusty like Jupiter’s. The particles in
the ring of the Uranus are quite big. These particles are like in size from
basketballs to large houses. The rings may have formed from collisions of
previous moons surrounding the Uranus.
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| Rings of the Uranus |
The
Uranus has 9 narrow rings, Ɛ ring, δ ring, γ ring, η ring, α ring, β
ring, 4 ring, 5 ring and 6 ring. The 4,5 and 6 rings are innermost rings and
they are very dim rings of Uranus. The narrowness and dimmest is because of
lack of dust present in these rings. The Ɛ ring is the brightest ring of Uranus
and is responsible for about approximately two-thirds of the light reflected by
the rings. The Ɛ ring is densest ring of Uranus. Now the δ ring is circular and
slightly inclined. The two components, one is a narrow optically dense and a
broad inward shoulder with low optical depth δ ring consists of. The γ ring is
also narrow, optically dense and slightly eccentric. The orbital inclination of
γ ring is almost zero. After the Ɛ ring, the α ring and β ring starts. The α
and β rings are brightest of Uranus’s rings. As like the Ɛ ring, they exhibit
regular variations in brightness and width. Now the dusty rings of Uranus, λ
ring is a narrow, faint ring located just inside Ɛ ring. The other extremely
faint dust bands are present in the rings of Uranus. These faint dusty rings
are invisible during occultations because these rings have negligible optical
depth. There are two more rings. These rings are named together as outer rings.
These two rings are detected by Hubble Space Telescope. The rings are
subsequently named as μ ring and ν ring. The μ ring is the last or the
outermost ring of the Uranus. These outer rings are wide and they are broad
17,000 km and 3900 km wide approximately. But these rings are very faint. The μ
ring is blue in colour while the ν ring is slightly red.
The
Moons of the Uranus
The
Uranus has 27 known moons orbiting around. The orbits of the moons are along
the equator of the Uranus. The 5 largest moons of the Uranus would be
considered as dwarf planets if they are orbiting the Sun. The names are
Titania, Oberon, Miranda, Ariel and Umbriel. The Herschel named these moons
from the Greek mythology. The names are given after the magical spirits in
English literature.
Titania
moon of the Uranus
The
Titania is the largest moon of the Uranus. The Titania moon is eighth largest
moon in our solar system. The diameter of Titania is 1,578 km. or 981 miles. The Titania name given after the
queen of the fairies in shekespeare’s A midsummer night’s dream. The orbit of
Titania is within magnetosphere of Uranus. The average orbital speed of Titania
is 3.64 km per seconds. The moon Titania made up of approximately equal amounts
of ice and rock. The ice and rock is differentiated into rocky core and icy
mantle. The liquid water may present at the boundary of rocky core and icy
mantle.
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| Titania moon of the Uranus |
The
Titania is appears as a dark and slightly reddish in colour. The surface has
numerous impact craters. The craters reaching up to 326 km or 203 miles in
diameter. The distance between moon Titania and the Uranus is about 436,000 km
or 271,000 miles. As like our moon, the Titania also tidally locked satellite
with the Uranus. The one face always points towards the Uranus. The Uranus is
tilted almost orbits on its side. The moons of Uranus orbits in the Uranus’s
equatorial plane. So, these moons experience an extreme seasonal cycle. The both
north and south poles spends 42 years in complete darkness and another pole
experience 42 year of continuous sun light. The moon Titania has on equinox as
like the Uranus.
Oberon
the Moon of the Uranus
The
Oberon moon is the second largest moon of the Uranus. The Oberon is the heavily
cratered as like the Titania. As like Titania, the Oberon is also made up of
half ice and half rock. The orbital speed of the Oberon is 13.46 Earth days. As
like Titania, the Oberon is also tidally locked with Uranus, facing same
surface towards the Uranus. The diameter of the Oberon is 1,522 km or 946
miles. The Oberon moon is also heavily cratered, as like the Titania moon. In
the southern hemisphere, large faults can be seen crossing the surface. The
Oberon has no any atmosphere and there is no any evidence of the magnetic field
around it. The distance between the moon Oberon and the Uranus is of 362,507
miles or 582, 600 km approximately.
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| Oberon moon of the Uranus |
The
Oberon is ninth largest moon in our solar system. The Oberon is not in the
magnetosphere of the Uranus. Therefore, the Oberon is directly struck by the
solar wind. As like the Titania, the Oberon is also orbit around the equator of
the Uranus. So, on the Oberon also experiences extreme seasonal cycle. Both
south and north poles alternately spend 42 years in darkness and 42 years of
continuous sun light.
Ariel
moon of the Uranus
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| Ariel moon of the Uranus |
The Ariel moon is the fourth largest moon of
the Uranus. As like Titania, Ariel also believed to be composed of equal parts
of ice and rock. That means inner core of rock and surrounded by the mantle of
ice. The Ariel moon is one of the moons from five largest moons of the Uranus.
Ariel is second from the Uranus among five largest moons. the distance between
the planet Uranus and Ariel moon is of about 190,000 km. The Ariel required 2.5
Earth days to complete one orbit around the Uranus. The Ariel also tidally
locked with the Uranus. This means that, one side of the moon always faces the
Uranus. The Ariel orbits the Uranus in the equatorial plane. This is almost 90o
to the orbit of the Uranus. As a result, the Ariel moon experiences extreme
seasonal cycles. The orbit of Ariel is inside the magnetosphere of the Uranus.
The Ariel orbits Uranus in the equatorial plane. So, the north and south poles
alternately spend 42 years in darkness and in winter and at sometimes other
pole continuously experiences 42 years of sun light.
Miranda the Moon of the Uranus
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| Miranda moon of the Uranus |
The
Miranda moon is smallest moon of the Uranus among the 5 largest moons. The
Miranda is innermost moon. To complete one orbit around the Uranus, the Miranda
required 34 hours approximately. The average orbital speed is 6.67 km per
second. As like Titania, Miranda also has equal parts of rocky material and
ice. The means the inner core is made up of rocky material and the surrounded
mantle is made up of ice. The liquid water may present at the boundary of the
core and mantle. The Miranda also tidally locked with the Uranus and so it
faces always one surface towards the Uranus. Miranda’s Observed hemisphere
contains 3 giant “racetracks” like grooved structures. This grooved structure
known as “Coronae”. The width of such a grooved structure is 200 km or 120 miles
and up to 20 km 12 miles deep. The Miranda is also orbiting the Uranus in the equatorial
plane. So, Miranda also experiences extreme seasonal cycles.
Umbriel the moon of the Uranus
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| Umbriel moon of the Uranus |
The
Umbriel moon is one of the largest moons of the Uranus. The distance between
the Uranus and the moon Umbriel is of about 266,000 km or 165,000 miles. The
average orbital speed of the Umbriel is of 4.66 km. is approximately. The
Umbriel’s surface is also covered with numerous impact craters. The diameter of
the craters reaching up to 211 km approximately. The Umbriel is mainly composed
of ice and substantial fraction of rock. The inner core made of rock and
surrounded by the icy mantle. The surface of Umbriel is darkest among the all
moons of the Uranus. The Umbriel orbits around the Uranus in the equatorial
plane with very little inclination. The Umbriel required 4.1 Earth days to
complete are orbit around the Uranus. As like all largest moons of the Uranus,
the Umbriel also tidally locked with the Uranus. The Umbriel orbits inside the
Uranus’s magnetosphere. As the Umbriel orbits in equatorial plane of the
Uranus, the both poles of Uranus experiences extreme seasonal cycles. The one
pole spends 42 years of sun light and at same time the other pole experiences
the darkness and the winter of about 42 long years.
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