Uranus

Latest about Uranus

A composite image of the planet Uranus shows 2002 X-ray emission in pinkish purple.
Uranus is belching X-rays and is weirder than we ever thought

By Meghan Bartels Published

The more scientists study it, the weirder Uranus gets.

Uranus
Uranus and Neptune have each only been visited by one spacecraft, Voyager 2.
A mission to Uranus and Neptune could act as massive gravitational-wave detector

By Paul Sutter Published

What if one mission could study the gravitational ripples triggered by some of the most violent events in the universe — on the way to observing the least-known planets of our solar system?

Uranus
Uranus and its five major moons are depicted in this montage of images acquired by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The moons, from largest to smallest as they appear here, are Ariel, Miranda, Titania, Oberon and Umbriel.
Are secret oceans hiding on the moons of Uranus?

By Chelsea Gohd Published

The moons of Uranus could be sloshing with oceans hiding just below the surface.

Uranus
NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft captured this image of the planet Uranus on Dec. 18, 1986.
How to see Uranus in the night sky (without a telescope) this week

By Joe Rao Published

Just how many planets are visible without a telescope? Most people will answer "five," but there is a sixth planet that can be glimpsed without visual aid: the planet Uranus.

Uranus
NASA's new Sunset Simulator reveals what a sunset would look like on Uranus and other worlds.
See a sunset on Uranus, other worlds (and a moon, too) in this NASA simulator

By Chelsea Gohd Published

If you watched the sun set on Uranus, the sky would start off as a brilliant blue and fade into deeper blues with striking turquoise notes. So how do we know that?

Uranus
Uranus is uniquely tipped over among the planets in our solar system. Uranus' moons and rings are also orientated this way, suggesting they formed during a cataclysmic impact which tipped it over early in its history.
What smacked Uranus on its side? Something icy and as massive as Earth, scientists say.

By Mike Wall Published

Astronomers have worked out details of the giant impact that knocked Uranus so famously askew.

Uranus
An image of the planet Uranus taken by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986.
Uranus Shines at Its Brightest Tonight: Here's How to See It

By Elizabeth Howell Published

You can catch Uranus, one of the solar system's most distant planets, at its brightest tonight.

Uranus
Skywatchers can find Uranus and the Moon sharing the sky today (Aug. 21).
Look Up! Uranus and the Waning Gibbous Moon Share the Sky

By Chelsea Gohd Published

Just before dawn today (Aug. 21), skywatchers will be able to spot both Uranus and the waning gibbous moon.

Uranus
Tonight, Aug. 12, 2019, Uranus will reverse direction and begin a westward loop.
Uranus 'Backs Up' in the Night Sky Ahead This Week's Full Moon

By Chelsea Gohd Published

Tonight, Aug. 12, Uranus will reverse direction and begin a westward, retrograde loop that will last into mid-January, 2020.

Uranus
A composite image of the atmosphere and rings of Uranus seen in thermal emission.
A Mysterious Glow Warms Rings of Uranus

By Elizabeth Howell Published

Some sort of a heat wave has warmed the rings of Uranus, even though the planet orbits far away from the sun.

Uranus
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives