Uranus is the coldest planet. Characteristics and features of the planet

Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system, although not the most distant from the Sun. This giant was discovered back in the 18th century. Who discovered it, and what are the satellites of Uranus? What's special about this planet? Read the description of the planet Uranus below in the article.

Peculiarities

It is the seventh most distant planet from the Sun. It is the third in diameter, it is 50,724 km. Interestingly, Uranus is 1,840 km larger in diameter than Neptune, but Uranus is less massive, which puts it in fourth place among the solar system heavyweights.

The coldest planet is visible with the naked eye, but a telescope with a hundredfold magnification will allow you to see it better. The moons of Uranus are much harder to see. There are 27 of them in total, but they are significantly removed from the planet and much dimmer than it.

Uranus is one of the four gas giants, and together with Neptune forms separate group According to scientists, gas giants arose much earlier than the planets that are part of the terrestrial group.

Discovery of Uranus

Because it can be seen in the sky without optical instruments, Uranus has often been mistaken for a dim star. Before it was determined that it was a planet, it was observed in the sky 21 times. John Flamseed was the first to notice it in 1690, indicating it as star number 34 in the constellation Taurus.

William Herschel is considered the discoverer of Uranus. On March 13, 1781, he observed the stars with a man-made telescope, suggesting that Uranus was a comet or a nebulous star. In his letters, he repeatedly pointed out that on March 13 he saw a comet.

The news about the newly spotted celestial body quickly spread in scientific circles. Some said it was a comet, although some scientists had doubts. In 1783, William Herschel declared that it was, after all, a planet.

They decided to name the new planet in honor of the Greek god Uranus. All other names of the planets are taken from Roman mythology, and only the name of Uranus is from Greek.

Composition and characteristics

Uranus more than Earth 14.5 times. The coldest planet in the solar system does not have the solid surface we are accustomed to. It is assumed that it consists of a solid rock core covered with a shell of ice. And the top layer is the atmosphere.

The icy shell of Uranus is not solid. It consists of water, methane and ammonia and makes up about 60% of the planet. Due to the absence of a solid layer, difficulties arise in determining the atmosphere. Therefore, the outer gas layer is considered to be the atmosphere.

This shell of the planet is bluish-green due to its methane content, which absorbs red rays. It is only 2% on Uranus. The remaining gases that are included in atmospheric composition- these are helium (15%) and hydrogen (83%).

Like Saturn, the coldest planet has rings. They were formed relatively recently. There is an assumption that they were once a satellite of Uranus, which broke up into many fine particles. There are 13 rings in total, the outer ring has a blue light, followed by red, and the rest have a gray color.

Orbital movement

The coldest planet in the solar system is 2.8 billion kilometers away from Earth. The equator of Uranus is inclined to its orbit, so the rotation of the planet occurs almost “lying” - horizontally. It’s as if a huge ball of gas and ice is rolling around our star.

The planet orbits the Sun every 84 years, and its daylight hours last approximately 17 hours. Day and night change quickly only in a narrow equatorial strip. In other parts of the planet, the day lasts 42 years, and then the night lasts the same amount.

With such a long change in time of day, it was assumed that the temperature difference must be quite serious. However, the warmest place on Uranus is the equator, not the poles (even those illuminated by the Sun).

Climate of Uranus

As already mentioned, Uranus is the coldest planet, although Neptune and Pluto are located much further from the Sun. Its lowest temperature reaches -224 degrees on average

Researchers have noticed that Uranus is characterized by seasonal changes. In 2006, the formation of an atmospheric vortex on Uranus was noted and photographed. Scientists are just beginning to study the changing seasons on the planet.

It is known that clouds and wind exist on Uranus. As you approach the poles, the wind speed decreases. The highest wind speed on the planet was about 240 m/s. In 2004, from March to May, a sharp change in weather conditions was recorded: wind speed increased, thunderstorms began, and clouds appeared much more often.

There are such seasons on the planet: southern summer solstice, northern spring, equinox and northern summer solstice.

Magnetosphere and planetary research

The only spacecraft that managed to reach Uranus is Voyager 2. It was launched by NASA in 1977 specifically to explore the distant planets of our solar system.

Voyager 2 managed to discover new, previously invisible rings of Uranus, study its structure, and also weather. Until now, many of known facts about this planet are based on data received from this device.

Voyager 2 also discovered that the coldest planet has a magnetosphere. It was noted that the planet's magnetic field does not emanate from its geometric center. It is tilted 59 degrees from the axis of rotation.

Such data indicate that Uranus’s magnetic field is asymmetrical, unlike Earth’s. There is an assumption that this is a feature of icy planets, since the second ice giant- Neptune also has an asymmetric magnetic field.

If you surf the Internet, you will notice that the same planet in the solar system can have a variety of colors. One resource showed Mars as red, and another as brown, and the average user has the question “Where is the truth?”

This question worries thousands of people and therefore, we decided to answer it once and for all so that there is no disagreement. Today you will find out what color the planets in the solar system actually are!

Color grey. Minimal presence of atmosphere and rocky surface with very large craters.

Color yellow-white. The color is provided by a dense layer of clouds of sulfuric acid.

The color is light blue. The oceans and atmosphere give our planet its distinctive color. However, if you look at the continents, you will see browns, yellows and greens. If we talk about what our planet looks like when removed, it will be an exclusively pale blue ball.

The color is red-orange. The planet is rich in iron oxides, due to which the soil has a characteristic color.

The color is orange with white elements. The orange is due to ammonium hydrosulfide clouds, the white elements are due to ammonia clouds. There is no hard surface.

The color is light yellow. The planet's red clouds are covered with a thin haze of white ammonia clouds, creating the illusion of a light yellow color. There is no hard surface.

The color is pale blue. Methane clouds have a characteristic hue. There is no hard surface.

The color is pale blue. Like Uranus, it is covered in methane clouds, however, its distance from the Sun creates the appearance of a darker planet. There is no hard surface.

Pluto: The color is light brown. The rocky surface and dirty ice crust create a very pleasant light brown hue.

Let's consider the astrological features that the color of the planet Uranus has. Do you love the color blue? If the answer is no, then you are in the minority. Indeed, among the adult population of the planet, shades of blue-blue are the most popular. I am no exception either: this cloudless, forget-me-not color seems to me like a breath of cool mountain air. It refreshes, invigorates, gives clarity of thought, and at the same time there is some kind of angelic serenity in it.

Color of the planet Uranus. The planet Uranus belongs to the so-called higher planets- invisible to the naked eye, and therefore discovered relatively recently thanks to advances. And if you consider that “progress” is one of the most important keywords of Uranus, it is not surprising that it was discovered first at the dawn scientific and technological revolution(again keyword!), some two hundred years ago.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Uranus was a deity personifying the sky, so it is quite natural that one of the colors of the corresponding “airy” planet (by the way, largely consisting of hydrogen and helium) is sky blue. This is the color of lightning, which also refers to celestial phenomena. By the way, one of the first astrological designations of this planet is two lightning bolts. And the electric arc: it’s also blue! We can say that the discovery of Uranus marked the beginning of an era of scientific and technological revolution, amazing inventions, and in particular the advent of electricity. Advanced, new, unusual, ahead of time, all inventions and discoveries are “in the competence” of this planet.

Aviation, astronautics and everything related to aeronautics also fall under the sphere of influence of Uranus. It is curious that the color blue is also associated with the sky through aviation. It is actively used in uniforms of representatives of the most “Uranian” professions: flight attendants and pilots. It’s not for nothing that they got their name “ blue berets"and airborne paratroopers.

Uranus also “rules” everything related to the future: various ideas, even the craziest ones, plans and projects. This planet also “manages” dreams, so the phrase “blue dream” turns out to be completely justified from the point of view of astrological symbolism. It's clear blue sky- this is an image of something high, alluring and difficult to achieve. The expression “to build castles in the air” comes from approximately the same opera, meaning dreams or ideas that are very far from reality. Yes, people under the influence of this airy planet can come up with such things, pile up such mental structures that those around them will consider them incorrigible dreamers, or even a little crazy. Only bad luck - the ideas of uranists are quite capable of becoming reality! After all, a “blue dream” does not mean unrealizable.

But let's return to lightning. In addition to color, it is associated with the qualities of Uranus by spontaneity, sharpness and unexpectedness of manifestations. The associative series is continued by an electric discharge or simply a bright flash, leading us to such a concept as insight. "Eureka!" - Archimedes exclaimed, having made a discovery, and ran naked through the streets. This is typical Uranian behavior for you! Captivated by his discovery, the scientist immediately forgot about restrictions and conventions. But the main thing in this story is how this discovery was made: not in a dream, not in meditation, not thanks to complex calculations and lengthy preparation. Knowledge came to Archimedes suddenly, like a bright bluish flash of lightning. By the way, if you remember, blue is the color of the element of air, and therefore is present in the shades of all air planets and signs. The heavenly color of Uranus speaks of its intellectual nature. Even the insights generated by him, although sometimes perceived as manifestations paranormal abilities, have nothing to do with mysticism and magic.

Uranium metal is considered to be ultra-light and unsurpassedly strong titanium, which is actively used in the development of so-called high technology. Paying tribute to the god of the sky, titanium is used to create samples of aerospace technology, and also finds application in advanced areas of the military and medical industries.

Color of the planet Uranus. And here is another well-known association with the word “blue”. There is a song from the cartoon “Blue Puppy”: “Blue, blue! We don’t want to play with you!” Why, strictly speaking, “don’t we want”? Yes, because it’s too unusual, different, not like everyone else... There is modern world a category of people also rejected by the majority due to their non-standard sexual orientation. Uranists, who gravitate towards originality and originality, often demonstrate these properties in their erotic preferences. Astrological studies indicate that people marked with the seal of Uranus make a significant contribution to the replenishment of the ranks of sexual minorities. Perhaps this is also explained by the fact that one of the symbols of the sign of Aquarius, ruled by Uranus, is an angel, a creature that is not only incorporeal, but also asexual, or an androgyne - a perfect being that combines both feminine and masculine natures.

Some astrological sources also name violet, lilac or lilac as uranic colors. But there are two more versions that seem much more reasonable to me. The first says that the colors of Aquarius, and therefore Uranus, are a combination of black and white, a kind of striped pattern. Yes, indeed, the nature of this planet is dual and ambiguous; in some incomprehensible way, seemingly mutually exclusive opposites coexist. The second version proposes to assign to Uranus, why bother with trifles, all the colors of the rainbow! And it’s hard to disagree with this: firstly, a rainbow is as integral a part of heavenly attributes as lightning, and secondly, it is a symbol of the pursuit of a dream. “Chasing the rainbow” means moving towards an elusive, constantly moving away goal, which exists only in the future and does not want to become part of the present. Isn't this the key to constant progress?

In ancient times, people did not know about its existence, and it was discovered with the help of an English astronomer only in 1781.

Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system, but scientists believe that beneath the cover of its atmosphere are hidden boiling oceans that consist of a mixture of various gases. This planet does not have a solid inner core.

Discovery of Uranus

Until 1781, no one suspected the existence of Uranus, the seventh planet of the solar system. Uranus is so far from the Sun that it is almost impossible to notice with the naked eye.

British astronomer William Herschel long time was following in a certain area of the sky, when one day he suddenly discovered that a tiny nebulous star had changed position relative to other stars.

In 1948, J. Kuiper discovered the smallest of the planet’s five large satellites, Miranda, and in 1986, Voyager 2 discovered 10 at once internal satellites. Several more small bodies in “near-uranium” orbits were discovered using the space telescope “”.

Most of the satellites of Uranus bear the names of heroes of 13 dramas, comedies and tragedies of the great English playwright.

Moons of Uranus

The "moons" of Uranus are similar to each other - they are mainly dark accumulations of ice and rocks, also containing ammonia and carbon dioxide.

The lightest of the satellites of Uranus is Ariel, it reflects up to 40% of the sun, and the darkest is Umbriel. Moreover, Ariel is obviously the youngest of all the major satellites, and Umbriel is the oldest.

The most unique type among the “big five” is Miranda, discovered by J. Kuiper.

This satellite with a diameter of 470 km orbits closest to Uranus, and its surface is dotted with traces of a turbulent past - faults, grooves, cliffs, gorges and ridges.

Up close South Pole this planet, which has irregular shape, there is a sheer cliff 15 km high. Experts believe that in the past Miranda, having encountered another celestial body, fell apart, and then “reassembled” again, but not in the same order as before.

Ariel, the second largest moon farthest from the planet, is a world of deep gorges. The reason for the formation of gutters that make Ariel’s “face” look like a baked apple has not yet been clarified, especially since these gutters in many places are half filled with a substance of unknown origin.

The ancient surface of Umbriel, the next satellite, is covered with countless large and small craters.

This satellite reflects half as much light as other satellites of Uranus, but experts do not know the reason for this, and the origin of the bright light ring on the “crown” of Umbriel is also unknown.

After all, of all spacecraft, intended to explore the distant environs of the Solar System, only Voyager 2 visited Uranus, which managed not only to photograph Umbriel, but also to determine its chemical composition.

Titania, the largest moon of the Big Five, is a “dirty” ball of ice with a surface disfigured by craters, gorges and faults. Like other moons of Uranus, Titania has been “reformed” several times in the past, changing its appearance and topography.

Almost nothing was known about Oberon, although it was one of the first to be discovered, before the Voyager 2 flight. It is also dotted with craters, but, unlike other large satellites, it has one, the height of which reaches 6 km.

Rings number thirteen

William Herschel also claimed that he was able to observe the rings of Uranus, but the scientist was unable to confirm his observation.

They were discovered only in 1977, but not with the help of spacecraft, but during the passage of the disk of Uranus in front of a second magnitude star.

The researchers expected to obtain data about the planet's atmosphere, but discovered the first nine rings. The brightest of them is 96 km wide and only a few meters thick.

It is believed that the rings of Uranus are very young and did not form together with the planet, but much later. These are probably the remains of one of the satellites, which was destroyed by a collision or the forces of the planet.

The color of planets largely depends on the composition of the substances from which it is composed. This is why the planets look different. Constant research in the space field allows us to obtain new data about the color of the planet solar system. Search in progress cosmic bodies beyond.

The solar system is the most colorful

There are not many planets in the solar system. Some of them were calculated by physicists and mathematicians even before the advent of modern telescopes. And subsequent developments in astronomical science and technology made it possible to discern and identify the colors of the planets of the solar system.

So, in order:

Mercury - planet gray. The color is determined by the absence of atmosphere and water, only rock is present.
Next comes the planet Venus. Its color is yellowish-white, the color of the clouds that envelop the planet. Clouds are a product of hydrochloric acid vapors.
Earth is a blue, light blue planet covered with white clouds. The color of the planet is largely determined by its water cover.
"Red Planet" famous name Mars. It's actually red-orange. According to the color of the desert soil with big amount gland.
Large liquid ball - Jupiter. Its main color is orange-yellow with the presence of colored stripes. The colors are formed by clouds of ammonia and ammonium gases.
Saturn is pale yellow, also the color is formed by clouds of ammonia, under the clouds of ammonia there is liquid hydrogen.
Uranus has a light blue color, but unlike Earth, the color is formed by methane clouds.
The planet Neptune is green in color, although it is more likely a shade of blue, since Neptune is the twin of Uranus and the color of the planet Neptune is determined by the presence of methane clouds, and its surface is darker due to its distance from the Sun.
Pluto, due to the presence of dirty methane ice on the surface, has a light brown color.

Are there any other planets?

Astrologers and astrophysicists have been searching for and discovering exoplanets for many decades. This is the name given to planets located outside the solar system. Telescopes placed in Earth's orbit actively help in this, taking pictures and trying to give an accurate idea of what color planets still exist. The main goal of these works is to find in cosmic silence habitable planet, similar to Earth.

In the search parameters, the main criterion is the glow of the planet, or rather the reflection of its glow from the star, in the image of the Earth. White-blue color is not the only shade. According to scientists, a planet with red spectrum radiation may also be habitable. Most of the Earth's reflection comes from water surface this is a blue-white glow, and the reflection from a continent with vegetation will have a reddish tint.

So far, the discovered exoplanets are very similar in their characteristics to Jupiter.