Uranus
Uranus may be the strangest planet in our neighborhood because it rotates on
its side. This odd configuration maybe the result of an encounter with a comet
that knocked the planet sideways millions of years ago. Uranus has been visited
by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in a
flyby in 1986.
Planet Profile
Mass (kg)............................................8.68 x 10^25
Diameter (km)........................................51118
Mean density (kg/m^3) ...............................1290
Escape velocity (m/sec)..............................21300
Average distance from Sun (AU).......................19.18
Rotation period (length of day in Earth hours).......17.9
Revolution period (length of year in Earth years)....84
Obliquity (tilt of axis in degrees)..................97.9
Orbit inclination (degrees)..........................0.77
Orbit eccentricity (deviation from circular).........0.047
Mean temperature (K).................................59
Visual geometric albedo (reflectivity)...............0.56
Atmospheric components...............................83% hydrogen,
15% helium,
2% methane (at depth)
Rings................................................Uranus has
a system of narrow, faint rings. Ring particles are dark,
and could consist of rocky or carbonaceous material.
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