What is Uranus known for for kids?
Uranus is an ice giant (instead of a gas giant). Uranus has a thick atmosphere made of methane, hydrogen, and helium. Uranus is the only planet that spins on its side. Uranus spins the opposite direction as Earth and most other planets.
Why is Uranus a unique planet?
Uranus is the only planet whose equator is nearly at a right angle to its orbit, with a tilt of 97.77 degrees – possibly the result of a collision with an Earth-sized object long ago. This unique tilt causes the most extreme seasons in the solar system.
How did Uranus get its color?
The blue-green color results from the absorption of red light by methane gas in Uranus’ deep, cold and remarkably clear atmosphere. In fact, the limb is dark and uniform in color around the planet.
What is unique about Uranus?
Did they change Uranus name?
French scientists called the planet Herschel, but German astronomer Johann Bode’s suggestion of Uranus became the most popular. Officially, though, Uranus was known as Georgium Sidus for nearly 70 years until 1850, when Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office (HMNAO) finally changed the name to Uranus.
Who named the planet Uranus?
astronomer Johann Bode
It was German astronomer Johann Bode who recommended the name Uranus, a Latinized version of the Greek god of the sky, Ouranos; however, the name Uranus didn’t gain full acceptance until the mid-1800s.
How big is Uranus in relation to the Earth?
It comparison to Earth’s mass, Uranus has around 14.5 times the mass of Earth. It has the fourth-largest mass in the Solar System. Uranus rotates in the opposite direction than most planets, from East to West. It is also the only planet known to rotate on its side. Uranus has the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System.
How did the planet Uranus get its name?
The planet Uranus is named after the ancient Greek God of the heavens, the earliest supreme god. He was the father of Cronus / Saturn, which in turn, was the father of Zeus / Jupiter. Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun, and the third-largest planet in the Solar System It is the biggest of the ice giants.
What makes Uranus different from the other planets?
The methane makes Uranus blue. Uranus also has faint rings. The inner rings are narrow and dark. The outer rings are brightly colored and easier to see. Like Venus, Uranus rotates in the opposite direction as most other planets. And unlike any other planet, Uranus rotates on its side. Visit NASA Space Place for more kid-friendly facts.
How long does it take Uranus to complete its orbit around the Sun?
And Uranus makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Uranian time) in about 84 Earth years (30,687 Earth days). Uranus is the only planet whose equator is nearly at a right angle to its orbit, with a tilt of 97.77 degrees – possibly the result of a collision with an Earth-sized object long ago.