{"id":253098,"date":"2025-07-18T05:21:51","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T19:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/planetary-science\/nasa-oxford-discover-warmer-uranus-than-once-thought\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T05:21:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T19:21:51","slug":"nasa-oxford-discover-warmer-uranus-than-once-thought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=253098","title":{"rendered":"NASA, Oxford Discover Warmer Uranus Than Once Thought"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>KEY POINTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune each emit more energy than they receive from the Sun, meaning they have comparatively warm interiors.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>NASA\u2019s Uranus flyby with Voyager 2 in 1986 found the planet colder than expected, which challenged ideas of how planets formed and evolved.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>However, with advanced computer modeling and a new look at old data, scientists think the planet may actually be warmer than previously expected.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p>For millennia, astronomers thought Uranus was no more than a distant star. It wasn\u2019t until the late 18th century that Uranus was universally accepted as a planet. To this day, the ringed, blue world subverts scientists\u2019 expectations, but new NASA research helps puzzle out some of the world\u2019s mystique.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=1268&#038;h=1268&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1268\" height=\"1268\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=1268&#038;h=1268&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A glowing, bright blue-white circular sphere in the center of the image, surrounded by multiple concentric, thin rings of varying brightness against a black background. The rings appear as gray, white, and light-colored bands encircling the central blue-white disc. The outer ring appears brighter than the inner rings, with subtle variations in thickness and illumination throughout the ring structure.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"eager\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=1268&#038;h=1268&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1268w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=150&#038;h=150&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 150w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=300&#038;h=300&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=768&#038;h=768&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=1024&#038;h=1024&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=50&#038;h=50&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 50w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=100&#038;h=100&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 100w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=200&#038;h=200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=400&#038;h=400&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=600&#038;h=600&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=900&#038;h=900&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/cds\/general\/images\/2023\/10\/uranusmain.png?w=1200&#038;h=1200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1268px) 100vw, 1268px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">This zoomed-in image of Uranus, captured by the Near-Infrared Camera on NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope on Feb. 6, 2023, reveals stunning views of Uranus\u2019 rings.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Uranus is unlike any other planet in our solar system. It spins on its side, which means each pole directly faces the Sun for a continuous 42-year \u201csummer.\u201d Uranus also rotates in the opposite direction of all planets except Venus. Data from NASA\u2019s Voyager 2 Uranus flyby in 1986 also suggested the planet is unusually cold inside, challenging scientists to reconsider fundamental theories of how planets formed and evolved throughout our solar system.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSince Voyager 2\u2019s flyby, everybody has said Uranus has no internal heat,\u201d said Amy Simon, a planetary scientist at NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. \u201cBut it\u2019s been really hard to explain why that is, especially when compared with the other giant planets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These Uranus projections came from only one up-close measurement of the planet\u2019s emitted heat made by Voyager 2: \u201cEverything hinges on that one data point,\u201d said Simon. \u201cThat is part of the problem.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Now, using an advanced computer modeling technique and revisiting decades of data, Simon and a team of scientists have found that Uranus does in fact generate some heat, as they <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/mnras\/article\/540\/2\/1719\/8133900\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported on May 16 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society<\/a> journal.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A planet\u2019s internal heat can be calculated by comparing the amount of energy it receives from the Sun to the amount it of energy it releases into space in the form of reflected light and emitted heat. The solar system\u2019s other giant planets \u2014 Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune \u2014 emit more heat than they receive, which means the extra heat is coming from inside, much of it left over from the high-energy processes that formed the planets 4.5 billion years ago. The amount of heat a planet exudes could be an indication of its age: the less heat released relative to the heat absorbed from the Sun, the older the planet is.<\/p>\n<p>Uranus stood out from the other planets because it appeared to give off as much heat as it received, implying it had none of its own. This puzzled scientists. Some hypothesized that perhaps the planet is much older than all the others and has cooled off completely. Others proposed that a giant collision \u2014 the same one that may have knocked the planet on its side \u2014 blasted out all of Uranus\u2019 heat. But none of these hypotheses satisfied scientists, motivating them to solve Uranus\u2019 cold case.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe thought, \u2018Could it really be that there is no internal heat at Uranus?\u2019\u201d said Patrick Irwin, the paper\u2019s lead author and professor of planetary physics at the University of Oxford in England. \u201cWe did many calculations to see how much sunshine is reflected by Uranus and we realized that it is actually more reflective than people had estimated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The researchers set out to determine Uranus\u2019 full energy budget: how much energy it receives from the Sun compared to how much it reflects as sunlight and how much it emits as heat. To do this, they needed to estimate  the total amount of light reflected from the planet at all angles. \u201cYou need to see the light that\u2019s scattered off to the sides, not just coming straight back at you,\u201d Simon said.<\/p>\n<p>To get the most accurate estimate of Uranus\u2019 energy budget yet, Oxford researchers developed a computer model that brought together everything known about Uranus\u2019 atmosphere from decades of observations from ground- and space-based telescopes, including NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope and NASA\u2019s Infrared Telescope Facility in Hawaii. The model included information about the planet\u2019s hazes, clouds, and seasonal changes, all of which affect how sunlight is reflected and how heat escapes.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=1280&#038;h=720&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=1280&#038;h=720&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Side-by-side images of a nearly identical circular blue-white sphere against a black background. The sphere in the left image, which has \"2014\u201d written in the bottom center, is mostly light blue, but has faint violet tint in some areas, and a few white spots. The sphere on the right image, labeled \"2022\" at the bottom, is very similar but with a great white spot on its right side, and a barely perceptible, elongated ring around it. \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=1280&#038;h=720&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1280w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=300&#038;h=169&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=768&#038;h=432&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=1024&#038;h=576&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=400&#038;h=225&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=600&#038;h=338&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=900&#038;h=506&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/keystones\/STScI-01GV3FQKJF2Z8MRZ63DS752VRE.png?w=1200&#038;h=675&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">These side-by-side images of Uranus, taken eight years apart by NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope, show seasonal changes in the planet\u2019s reflectivity. The left image shows the planet seven years after its northern spring equinox when the Sun was shining just above its equator. The second photo, taken six years before the planet\u2019s summer solstice, portrays a bright and large northern polar cap.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\">Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley), J. DePasquale (STScI)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The researchers found that Uranus releases about 15% more energy than it receives from the Sun, a figure that is similar to another recent estimate from a separate study funded in part by NASA that was <a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1029\/2025GL115660#https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1029\/2025GL115660\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">published July 14 in Geophysical Research Letters<\/a>. These studies suggest Uranus it has its own heat, though still far less than its neighbor Neptune, which emits more than twice the energy it receives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow we have to understand what that remnant amount of heat at Uranus means, as well as get better measurements of it,\u201d Simon said.<\/p>\n<p>Unraveling Uranus\u2019 past is useful not only for mapping the timeline of when solar system planets formed and migrated to their current orbits, but it also helps scientists better understand many of the planets discovered outside the solar system, called exoplanets, a majority of which are the same size as Uranus.<\/p>\n<p><strong>By Emma Friedman<\/strong><br \/><strong>NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\n<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\">\n<h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/missions\/hubble\/hubble-helps-determine-uranus-rotation-rate-with-unprecedented-precision\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"3817\" height=\"1240\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=3817&#038;h=1240&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=3817&#038;h=1240&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 3817w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=300&#038;h=97&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=768&#038;h=249&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=1024&#038;h=333&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=1536&#038;h=499&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=2048&#038;h=665&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=400&#038;h=130&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=600&#038;h=195&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=900&#038;h=292&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=1200&#038;h=390&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/solar-system\/uranus\/hubble_uranus_oct22_collage_print_heic2503a.tif?w=2000&#038;h=650&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3817px) 100vw, 3817px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">3 min read<\/div>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\">\n<h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Hubble Helps Determine Uranus\u2019 Rotation Rate with Unprecedented Precision<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 months ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/missions\/hubble\/hubble-monitors-changing-weather-and-seasons-at-jupiter-and-uranus\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2824\" height=\"1412\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=2824&#038;h=1412&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=2824&#038;h=1412&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2824w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=300&#038;h=150&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=768&#038;h=384&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=1024&#038;h=512&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=1536&#038;h=768&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=2048&#038;h=1024&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=400&#038;h=200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=600&#038;h=300&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=900&#038;h=450&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=1200&#038;h=600&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/hubble\/releases\/2023\/03\/STScI-01GV3FDKR5BW27DXY6QFAG3HCA.tif?w=2000&#038;h=1000&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2824px) 100vw, 2824px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">5 min read<\/div>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\">\n<h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Hubble Monitors Changing Weather and Seasons at Jupiter and Uranus<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/solar-system\/why-uranus-and-neptune-are-different-colors\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"718\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/psd\/solar\/2023\/06\/noirlab2211b_1280.jpg?w=1280&#038;h=718&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">8 min read<\/div>\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\">\n<h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Why Uranus and Neptune Are Different Colors<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-md color-carbon-60\">Neptune and Uranus have much in common yet their appearances are notably different. Astronomers now\u2026<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n<ul class=\"social-icons social-icons-round\">\n<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-x\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a 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1.381-1.11 2.5-2.48 2.5s-2.48-1.119-2.48-2.5c0-1.38 1.11-2.5 2.48-2.5s2.48 1.12 2.48 2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Jul 17, 2025<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Editor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Lonnie Shekhtman<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Contact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-3\">\n<div>Lonnie Shekhtman<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"mailto:lonnie.shekhtman@nasa.gov\">lonnie.shekhtman@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Location<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\"><a class=\"hds-location-tag-name\" href=\"https:\/\/nasa.gov\/goddard\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"hds-meta-heading\">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"article-tags\">\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Planetary Science<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/solar-system\/planets\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Planets<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/solar-system\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Solar System<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/uranus\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Uranus<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KEY POINTS For millennia, astronomers thought Uranus was no more than a distant star. It wasn\u2019t until the late 18th century that Uranus was universally accepted as a planet. To this day, the ringed, blue world subverts scientists\u2019 expectations, but new NASA research helps puzzle out some of the world\u2019s mystique.\u00a0 Uranus is unlike any [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15677,15918,15610,16157],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-253098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-planetary-science","category-planets","category-the-solar-system","category-uranus"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=253098"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":253544,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253098\/revisions\/253544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=253098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=253098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=253098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}