2. Uranus, also known as Ouranos, was the embodiment of the sky or
heavens. Also known as the god of the sky. He was the first son
of Gaia, he also became her husband. According to Hesiod, their
children included the Titans: six sons and six daughters. There
were also other offspring. Gaia and Uranus had plenty of children,
but Uranus hated them. Cronus, the youngest son, castrated his
father with a sickle. His blood fell to earth and conceived the
Giants. It is also believed that Aphrodite rose from the foam
created by the sex organs of Uranus after they were thrown into
the sea by his son.
3. Atmosphere: Icy cloud layer made up of frozen methane, ethane, and acetylene,
circling this planet at 185 mph. Atmosphere consist of 83% hydrogen, 15% helium, and
2% methane. Outer layers of the atmosphere are the coldest; temperature and
pressure rise under the cloud layer.
Partially-solid Layers: Beneath the atmosphere, liquid layer of hydrogen and helium.
As depth increases layer becomes more viscous and then partly solid. Layer may be
composed of compressed water with ammonia and methane.
Core: Uranus has a molten rocky core about 10,500 miles in diameter and about
12,500°F. This core may have a mass five times greater than the mass of the Earth.
Average temperature: 49° Kelvin or -224°C
Cannot support life.
Voyager 2 passed by the planet in 1986.
No other missions to Uranus are currently scheduled.
4. Orbital period: 84 years
Day: 17 hours & 14 minutes
Pressure: No solid surface
Special Feature:
Acceleration: 8.69 m/s² Uranus is on it’s side.
Winds: between 90-360 mph No one really knows why, but
a theory is that it was
knocked on it’s side because
of a collision.
Because of it’s tilt,
either pole is completely light
and/or completely dark.
5. 27 natural satellites.
Cannot support life.
Miranda: Huge grooves, appears to have shattered many times. Bright V-shaped
groove on it’s surface (Inverness Corona; nicknamed the chevron).
Ariel: Brightest moon. Youngest surface. Long valleys and canyons.
Umbriel: Darkest moon. Old surface, heavily cratered. Bright ring at top called a
florescent cheerio.
Titania: Biggest moon. Half the size of Earth’s moon. Few craters, huge impact
basins ice cliffs, and fault lines.
Oberon: Covered by craters and ice.
6. 13 rings composed of rock & dust.
Epsilon :: 20km - 96km wide.
1986 U1R :: 1km - 2km wide.
Delta :: 3km - 7km wide.
Gamma :: 1km - 4km wide.
Eta :: less than 1km - 2km wide.
Beta :: 7km - 12km wide.
Alpha :: 7km - 12km wide.
Ring 4 :: 2km - 3km wide.
Ring 5 :: 2km - 3km wide.
Ring 6 :: 1km - 3km wide.
1986 U2R :: 3500km wide
