Discovered by John Flamsteed in 1690, however, was not reconized as a planet. Sir William Herscrel, 1781, realized it was a planet named it “The Georian Sidus” (The Georgion Planet) In honor of King George the third of England. The name ‘Uranus’ was first proposed by German astronomer Johann Elert Bode in order for it to be in conformity with the other planets. ‘Uranus’ was not commonly used until 1850.

Ουρανος or Ouranos Ouranos was the father to the Greek titans and husband of Gara. The name Ouranos, translated in modern English as Uranus, means “The Heavens.”

Usual Facts It’s diameter is 51,120 km. Density is 13 g/cm^2 or 24 % Surface Gravity is 91% of Earth surface gravity. Third largest planet Nearly 3 billion kilometers from the sun Has 27 moons 12 thin rings

NameDiscovery DateDiscovererDistance from Uranus (10 3 km)Orbital Period (days)Mass (10 20 kg)Radius (km) Miranda (UV)1948G. Kuiper x x Ariel (UI)1851W. Lassel x x Umbriel (UII)1851W. Lassel Titania (UIII)1787W. Herschel Oberon (UIV)1787W. Herschel Cordelia (UVI, S/1986 U7)1986Voyager Ophelia (UVII, S/1986 U8)1986Voyager Bianca (UVIII, S/1986 U9)1986Voyager Cressida (UIX, S/1986 U3)1986Voyager Desdemona (UX, S/1986 U6)1986Voyager Juliet (UXI, S/1986 U2)1986Voyager Portia (UXII, S/1986 U1)1986Voyager Rosalind (UXIII, S/1986 U4)1986Voyager Cupid (S/2003 U2) Belinda (UXIV, S/1986 U5)1986Voyager Puck (UXV, S/1985 U1)1985Voyager Mab (S/2003 U1) Caliban (UXVI, S/1997 U1)1997 Kavelaars, Gladman, Holman, et. Al * 48 Stephano (UXX, S/1999 U2)1999 Kavelaars, Gladman, Holman, et. Al * 10 Sycorax (UXVII, S/1997 U2)1997 Kavelaars, Gladman, Holman, et. Al 12, * 95 Margaret (UXXIII, S/2003 U3) , Prospero (UXVIII, S/1999 U3)1999 Kavelaars, Gladman, Holman, et. Al 16, * 15 Setebos (UXIX, S/2001)1999 Kavelaars, Gladman, Holman, et. Al 17, * 15 Trinculo (UXXI, S/2001 U1) * 5 S/1986 U S/2001 U , * 6 S/2001 U * 6 * This indicates that the moon orbits in a retrograde - the opposite direction to the planet's spin - motion.retrograde

Uranus’ atmosphere is about 83% hydrogen, 15% helium and 2% methane. Like other gas planets, Uranus has bands of clouds that blow around rapidly. However, they are extremely faint, visible only with radical image enhancement. It’s blue color is the result of absorption of red light by methane in the upper atmosphere. There are many colored bands like Jupiter’s but they are hidden from view by the overlaying methane layer.

Uranu’s rings are very dark and are composed of fairly large particles ranging up to 10 meters in diameter. In addition to fine dust, there are 13 known rings, all very faint; the brightest is known as the Epsilon ring.

The axis of Uranus’ rotation is tilted more relative to the pole of its orbit than that of any other planet, differing 97.7 degrees if the rotational direction of the planet is used to Celine its North pole, or by 82.2 degrees if the North side of our orbit is used to define the North Pole. Due to the tilt, its works so that one pole or the other is usually pointed towards the Sun. A day at the North Pole lasts half of a Uranian year- 84 Earth years. Uranus rotates once every 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 12 seconds as determined from the rate of rotation of it’s magnetic field. The rotation period given above, which is the side period of rotation of the planet, differs by about one second from the length of its day; due to Uranus’ orbital moon during one rotation it has shorter days than its rotation period.

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