Description
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third-largest planet in the solar system. It is an ice giant with a pale blue-green colour caused by methane in its atmosphere. Uranus is unique because it rotates on its side, likely due to a massive collision early in its history. This extreme tilt gives the planet unusual seasons that last over 20 years each. Its atmosphere is cold and calm compared to other giant planets, with some of the lowest temperatures ever recorded in the solar system.
Location and Measurements
Uranus orbits the Sun at an average distance of about 2.9 billion kilometres. It has a diameter of roughly 50,724 kilometres, making it about four times wider than Earth. A day on Uranus lasts about 17 hours, while a full orbit around the Sun takes 84 Earth years. The planet has a faint ring system and at least 27 known moons, many of which are named after characters from the works of Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
