Uranus Research Paper
uranus composition 82.5 percent hydrogen, 15.2 percent helium, 2.3 percent methane.
Revolution
The orbit of Uranus takes 84.3 year to complete one revolution around the Sun. In other words, 1 Uranian year is 84.3 Earth years.
Special feauture
Description
Uranus was the first planet to be discovered in modern history. It was actually discovered by accident in 1781 by William Herschel.
Like the other gas giants, Uranus has a very thick cloud cover and an atmosphere made up mostly of hydrogen, helium, methane, and ammonia. The trace amount of methane is what gives Uranus and its twin, Neptune, their blue color. Unlike Saturn and Jupiter, Uranus has a different internal structure.
The core of Uranus is probably composed of liquid rock. Then, farther up, the liquid rock slowly gives way to an ocean made mostly of hydrogen, helium, and water, with small amounts of ammonia and methane. This "ocean" accounts for most of Uranus's bulk. Then, the water slowly thins out into the bland, almost featureless atmosphere. …show more content…
Uranus also has a system of about 11 rings - not nearly as large as Saturn's.
Nine were found when Uranus passed in front of a bright star, the rings causing the star to temporarily disappear when they passed in front of it. This was the first time astronomers had detected rings around any planet other than Saturn. It was the first time, also, that astronomers had detected thin rings around any planet. The other two rings were found when Voyager 2 passed by.
Uranus also has 27 known moons, most of which little is known
about.
Unique Characteristics
Uranus has two main unique features. First, there is absolutely no detail in the cloud cover. Only when pushed to the maximum level of color enhancement and contrast on computers do scientists start to see small swirls in the atmosphere.
Second, Uranus is the only planet rotates on its side. This produces the strangest seasons of any planet in the solar system. For 21 years, Uranus's moons are seen as one would view a dart board, with one pole facing the sun. The next 21 years Uranus has its side to the sun, and the moons move up and down across the equator. then the cycle repeats itself starting with the other pole. Scientists aren't sure why this is, but they think that a large body smashed into it with such force that it pushed the planet over.
Mythology
Uranus was named for the ancient Greek god of the heavens. When Earth was first made, Uranus was the first thing she saw, and they fell in love.
Data for the Planets | Mercury | Venus | Earth | Mars | Jupiter | Saturn | Uranus | Neptune | Mean Orbital Distance (106km) | 57.91 | 108.2 | 149.60 | 227.92 | 778.57 | 1433.53 | 2872.46 | 4495.06 | Average Orbital Velocity (km/s) | 47.87 | 35 | 29.78 | 24.13 | 13.07 | 9.69 | 6.81 | 5.43 | Orbital Inclination (from Earth's Orbit) | 7.00° | 3.4° | 0.0° | 1.850° | 1.304° | 2.485° | 0.772° | 1.769° | Orbital Eccentricity | 0.2056 | 0.007 | 0.0167 | 0.0935 | 0.0489 | 0.0565 | 0.0457 | 0.0113 | Equatorial Radius (km) | 2439.7 | 6051.8 | 6378.1 | 3397 | 71,492 | 60,268 | 25,559 | 24,764 | Polar Radius (km) | 2439.7 | 6051.8 | 6,356.8 | 3375 | 66,854 | 54,364 | 24,973 | 24,341 | Axial Tilt (from Earth's geographic North) | 0.01° | 177.4° | 23.45° | 25.19° | 3.13° | 26.73° | 97.77° | 28.32° | Mass (1024 kg) | 0.3302 | 4.87 | 5.9736 | 0.64185 | 1898.6 | 568.46 | 86.832 | 102.43 | Density (water=1) | 5.427 | 5.243 | 5.515 | 3.933 | 1.326 | 0.687 | 1.27 | 1.638 | Escape Velocity (km/s) | 4.3 | 10.36 | 11.19 | 5.03 | 59.5 | 35.5 | 21.3 | 23.5 | Gravity (m/s2) | 3.70 | 8.802 | 9.78 | 3.716 | 23.1 | 9 | 8.7 | 11 | Sidereal Rotation Period (hours) | 1407.6 | -5832.5 | 23.9345 | 24.6229 | 9.9250 | 10.656 | -17.24 | 16.11 | Length of Day (hours) | 4222.6 | 2802 | 24 | 24.6597 | 9.9259 | 10.656 | 17.24 | 16.11 | Tropical Orbital Period (days) | 87.968 | 224.7 | 365.256 | 686.980 | 4330.595 | 10,746.94 | 30,588.740 | 59,799.9 | Average Surface Temperature (Celsius) | 167° | 464° | 15° | -65° | -110° | -140° | -195° | -200° | Number of Moons | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 63 | 47 | 27 | 13 | Rings? | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Discoverer | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | William Herschel | Johann Gottfried Galle | Discovery Date | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | March 13, 1781 | September 23, 1846 |
This page was last updated on September 14, 2006. | © 1997-2006, all rights reserved |
Neptune
Composition
Neptune's atmosphere mainly consists of molecular hydrogen (H2) 80%, helium (He) 19% and methane (CH4) 1.5%.
RevolutionTo revolve once around the Sun takes Neptune almost 165 Earth years (164.79 years).
Because Neptune is not a solid body, its atmosphere undergoes differential rotation. The wide equatorial zone rotates with a period of about 18 hours, at the polar regions the rotation period is 12 hours.
Its magnetic field rotates in 16H 6 MIN 36 SEC.
Its orbit around the sun (Neptunian Year) is 60,190 earth days or about 164.79 earth years.
SPECIAL FEATURES
THE GREAT DARK SPOT: Neptune has one storm system know as the Great Dark Spot. The storm system is thought to be rotating counter clockwise due to a spiral shape of both the dark boundary and the white cirrus surrounding the spot. Recent observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope indicate that the Great Dark Spot actually no longer exists. But, a second "great dark spot" has been observed in the northern hemisphere of Neptune. Because Neptune radiates twice as much energy as it receives from the dim and distant sun, the mechanism that drives its weather systems must be very different from that of Earth. An internal heat source may exist that warms the cloud tops from below. Slight changes in the temperature differential from cloud bottom to top might trigger rapid, large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation. The old "Great Dark Spot" and it's curious sled-like spot taken in August 1989 by the Voyager 2. |
The Hubble Space Telescope took these pictures of Neptune (with a filter), in June 1994, and found that the spot had disapeared! The one on the left is one side of Neptune and the one on the right is of the exact opposite side, about 9 hours later. | top... |
RINGS:
COMPOSITIONS
Revolution
The orbit of Uranus takes 84.3 year to complete one revolution around the Sun. In other words, 1 Uranian year is 84.3 Earth years.
Special feauture
Description
Uranus was the first planet to be discovered in modern history. It was actually discovered by accident in 1781 by William Herschel.
Like the other gas giants, Uranus has a very thick cloud cover and an atmosphere made up mostly of hydrogen, helium, methane, and ammonia. The trace amount of methane is what gives Uranus and its twin, Neptune, their blue color. Unlike Saturn and Jupiter, Uranus has a different internal structure.
The core of Uranus is probably composed of liquid rock. Then, farther up, the liquid rock slowly gives way to an ocean made mostly of hydrogen, helium, and water, with small amounts of ammonia and methane. This "ocean" accounts for most of Uranus's bulk. Then, the water slowly thins out into the bland, almost featureless atmosphere. …show more content…
Uranus also has a system of about 11 rings - not nearly as large as Saturn's.
Nine were found when Uranus passed in front of a bright star, the rings causing the star to temporarily disappear when they passed in front of it. This was the first time astronomers had detected rings around any planet other than Saturn. It was the first time, also, that astronomers had detected thin rings around any planet. The other two rings were found when Voyager 2 passed by.
Uranus also has 27 known moons, most of which little is known
about.
Unique Characteristics
Uranus has two main unique features. First, there is absolutely no detail in the cloud cover. Only when pushed to the maximum level of color enhancement and contrast on computers do scientists start to see small swirls in the atmosphere.
Second, Uranus is the only planet rotates on its side. This produces the strangest seasons of any planet in the solar system. For 21 years, Uranus's moons are seen as one would view a dart board, with one pole facing the sun. The next 21 years Uranus has its side to the sun, and the moons move up and down across the equator. then the cycle repeats itself starting with the other pole. Scientists aren't sure why this is, but they think that a large body smashed into it with such force that it pushed the planet over.
Mythology
Uranus was named for the ancient Greek god of the heavens. When Earth was first made, Uranus was the first thing she saw, and they fell in love.
Data for the Planets | Mercury | Venus | Earth | Mars | Jupiter | Saturn | Uranus | Neptune | Mean Orbital Distance (106km) | 57.91 | 108.2 | 149.60 | 227.92 | 778.57 | 1433.53 | 2872.46 | 4495.06 | Average Orbital Velocity (km/s) | 47.87 | 35 | 29.78 | 24.13 | 13.07 | 9.69 | 6.81 | 5.43 | Orbital Inclination (from Earth's Orbit) | 7.00° | 3.4° | 0.0° | 1.850° | 1.304° | 2.485° | 0.772° | 1.769° | Orbital Eccentricity | 0.2056 | 0.007 | 0.0167 | 0.0935 | 0.0489 | 0.0565 | 0.0457 | 0.0113 | Equatorial Radius (km) | 2439.7 | 6051.8 | 6378.1 | 3397 | 71,492 | 60,268 | 25,559 | 24,764 | Polar Radius (km) | 2439.7 | 6051.8 | 6,356.8 | 3375 | 66,854 | 54,364 | 24,973 | 24,341 | Axial Tilt (from Earth's geographic North) | 0.01° | 177.4° | 23.45° | 25.19° | 3.13° | 26.73° | 97.77° | 28.32° | Mass (1024 kg) | 0.3302 | 4.87 | 5.9736 | 0.64185 | 1898.6 | 568.46 | 86.832 | 102.43 | Density (water=1) | 5.427 | 5.243 | 5.515 | 3.933 | 1.326 | 0.687 | 1.27 | 1.638 | Escape Velocity (km/s) | 4.3 | 10.36 | 11.19 | 5.03 | 59.5 | 35.5 | 21.3 | 23.5 | Gravity (m/s2) | 3.70 | 8.802 | 9.78 | 3.716 | 23.1 | 9 | 8.7 | 11 | Sidereal Rotation Period (hours) | 1407.6 | -5832.5 | 23.9345 | 24.6229 | 9.9250 | 10.656 | -17.24 | 16.11 | Length of Day (hours) | 4222.6 | 2802 | 24 | 24.6597 | 9.9259 | 10.656 | 17.24 | 16.11 | Tropical Orbital Period (days) | 87.968 | 224.7 | 365.256 | 686.980 | 4330.595 | 10,746.94 | 30,588.740 | 59,799.9 | Average Surface Temperature (Celsius) | 167° | 464° | 15° | -65° | -110° | -140° | -195° | -200° | Number of Moons | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 63 | 47 | 27 | 13 | Rings? | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Discoverer | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | William Herschel | Johann Gottfried Galle | Discovery Date | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | Prehistory | March 13, 1781 | September 23, 1846 |
This page was last updated on September 14, 2006. | © 1997-2006, all rights reserved |
Neptune
Composition
Neptune's atmosphere mainly consists of molecular hydrogen (H2) 80%, helium (He) 19% and methane (CH4) 1.5%.
RevolutionTo revolve once around the Sun takes Neptune almost 165 Earth years (164.79 years).
Because Neptune is not a solid body, its atmosphere undergoes differential rotation. The wide equatorial zone rotates with a period of about 18 hours, at the polar regions the rotation period is 12 hours.
Its magnetic field rotates in 16H 6 MIN 36 SEC.
Its orbit around the sun (Neptunian Year) is 60,190 earth days or about 164.79 earth years.
SPECIAL FEATURES
THE GREAT DARK SPOT: Neptune has one storm system know as the Great Dark Spot. The storm system is thought to be rotating counter clockwise due to a spiral shape of both the dark boundary and the white cirrus surrounding the spot. Recent observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope indicate that the Great Dark Spot actually no longer exists. But, a second "great dark spot" has been observed in the northern hemisphere of Neptune. Because Neptune radiates twice as much energy as it receives from the dim and distant sun, the mechanism that drives its weather systems must be very different from that of Earth. An internal heat source may exist that warms the cloud tops from below. Slight changes in the temperature differential from cloud bottom to top might trigger rapid, large-scale changes in atmospheric circulation. The old "Great Dark Spot" and it's curious sled-like spot taken in August 1989 by the Voyager 2. |
The Hubble Space Telescope took these pictures of Neptune (with a filter), in June 1994, and found that the spot had disapeared! The one on the left is one side of Neptune and the one on the right is of the exact opposite side, about 9 hours later. | top... |
RINGS:
COMPOSITIONS