Shop Windows to the Universe

Science, Evolution, and Creationism, by the National Academies, focuses on teaching evolution in today's classrooms. Check out the other publications in our online store.

Uranus

   Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, has its spin axis almost in the plane of its orbit about the Sun. This produces unusual seasons and also causes unique magnetic and electric field structures. Uranus has a faint ring system and known moons.

Visit another planet: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Dwarf Planets
According to <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-277">NASA scientists</a>, the Voyager 1 spacecraft entered interstellar space in August 2012, becoming the first spacecraft to leave the <a href="/our_solar_system/solar_system.html&edu=high">solar system</a>. The space probe is about 19 billion km from the <a href="/sun/sun.html&edu=high">Sun</a>. <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html&edu=high">Voyager 1 and 2</a> were launched in 1977 on a <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html&edu=high">mission</a> that flew them both by <a href="/jupiter/jupiter.html&edu=high">Jupiter</a> and <a href="/saturn/saturn.html&edu=high">Saturn</a>, with Voyager 2 continuing to <a href="/uranus/uranus.html&edu=high">Uranus</a> and <a href="/neptune/neptune.html&edu=high">Neptune</a>. Voyager 2 is the longest continuously operated spacecraft. It is about 15 billion km away from the <a href="/sun/sun.html&edu=high">Sun</a>.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of NASA</em></small></p>The plain aquamarine face of Uranus confirms the fact that Uranus is covered with <a href="/uranus/atmosphere/U_clouds_overview.html&edu=high">clouds</a>. The sameness of the planet's appearance shows that the planet's atmosphere is mostly <a href="/uranus/atmosphere/U_atm_compo_overview.html&edu=high">composed</a> of one thing, methane. The planet appears to be blue-green because the <a href="/physical_science/chemistry/methane.html&edu=high">methane</a> gas of the atmosphere traps red light and does not allow that color to escape. This image was taken by <a href="/space_missions/voyager.html&edu=high">Voyager 2</a> in 1986.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of NASA</em></small></p>

Windows to the Universe Community

News

Opportunities

Upcoming W2U Events
Join Today - Benefits,
No Ads!
Special Offers for Teachers
Member Benefits
Teacher Newsletter
Partnership Opportunities

Explore Uranus

Interior and Surface of Uranus

The Giant planets do not have the same kind of structure inside that the terrestrial planets ...Read more

Atmosphere of Uranus

The bland aquamarine face of Uranus bears witness to the fact that Uranus is enshrouded in ...Read more

Uranus' Magnetosphere

The magnetosphere of Uranus is medium sized, but still much larger than the Earth's. It extends ...Read more

Uranus' Moons and Rings

At Uranus there is a very obvious partial ring, or "ring arc". Many moons are icy moons ...Read more

The Poles of Uranus

Uranus is the tilted planet. Its spin axis, which defines the locations of its North and South ...Read more

Planetary Facts

All of the relevant information about Uranus collected on one page, including details about size, orbit ...Read more

Myth and Culture

Ouranos was the son and husband of Gaea and the first god of the sky. ...Read more

Missions to Uranus

A table containing information about the spacecraft that have visited Uranus ...Read more

Images and Multimedia

Access wonderful captioned photos and illustrations that will inspire and excite you. ...Read more

Uranus Links

These are links to other great web sites about Uranus. But beware: you don't want to get caught ...Read more

More about Uranus

Historical Events

10/4 German physicist Max Planck died on this date in 1947 Details
10/4 Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to successfully orbit the Earth. was launched on this date in 1957 Details
10/5 Robert Goddard, an American physicist, was born on this date in 1882 Details

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Do you know the kingdoms in the Eukaryota domain?

Do you know what theorem Pythagoras is famous for?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Love wave
xLove wave : An Earth surface wave having a horizontal motion that is transverse (or perpendicular) to the direction the wave is traveling

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Oldest Earth Mantle Reservoir Discovered

Researchers have found a primitive Earth mantle reservoir on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. Geologist Matthew Jackson and his colleagues from a multi-institution collaboration report the finding--the...Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA