Uranium – the seventh and third largest planet of the solar system - was discovered by the British astronomer William Gershel in 1781. It is the first planet found by means of the telescope. Uranium is in 2,877,000,000 km from the Sun that by 19 times exceeds similar distance to Earth. What is the seventh planet of the solar system still interesting by?
Azure planet
Uranium is 4 times more and 14.5 times heavier than Earth, and is 390 times more weakly lit with the Sun. It belongs to group of the planets called by gas giants. Moreover is one of two ice giants of the next space. The main components of its atmosphere are hydrogen and helium, at a number there is also a carbon, methane, etc. impurity. Methane gives to the planet azure-greenish color.
Planet clouds Uranium have complex, layered structure. The top layer consists of methane, the main – of the frozen hydrogen sulfide. Below the second cloud layer consisting of ammonium hydrosulphate is located. Even lower - clouds from water ice. It is difficult to define where the atmosphere comes to an end and the surface of the planet, but structure of Uranium nevertheless a little more dense, than at other gas giants begins.
In the center of the planet there is rather small stone kernel, and the cloak consists of ice modifications of methane, ammonia, helium, hydrogen and rocky breeds. The metal hydrogen which is present at the depths of other giant planets on Uranium is absent. Uranium has own magnetic field which origin is still unknown, and radiates in space much more heat, than receives from the Sun. Uranium – the coldest planet of the Solar system. Minimum temperature - 224 °C is recorded here. In the atmosphere of the planet powerful and long storms at which the speed of wind reaches 900 km/h are observed. The movement of Uranium happens on almost circular orbit. A cycle time around the Sun – 84 terrestrial years. Uranium has unique feature – its axis of rotation will be spaced from the orbit plane on only 8 °. The planet kind of, slides around the Sun, rocking from a side sideways. One more feature of Uranium – retrograde or reverse daily rotation. So in the solar system, except it, only Venus rotates. Day on Uranium makes 17 hours 14 minutes. As a result of everything told, on Uranium the unusual change of seasons was established. The change of seasons on poles and the equator of the planet occurs differently. On the equator of Uranium within a year there are about 2 summers and 2 winters. Duration of every period – nearly 21 years. On poles - one winter and one summer lasting 42 terrestrial years. During the equinox periods in the small belt close to the equatorial areas of the planet, there is a usual change of day and night.
System of rings and satellites of Uranium
Uranium has 13 thin dark rings – 9 main, 2 dust and 2 external, formed, after internal. The first 11 are located at distance of 40,000-50,000 km. The external rings opened in 2005 are located approximately twice further the main, and make a separate system. Thickness of rings does not exceed 1 km. Between the main rings incomplete arches and dusty strips are observed. Width of the central ring reaches 100 km, it is the most considerable in size. Rings of Uranium are opaque, and consist of mix of ice and some dark material. It is supposed that the age of a system of rings does not exceed 600 million years. Perhaps, it arose at collision and destruction of the satellites of the planet rotating around it or captured as a result of gravitational interaction. The planes of orbits of 27 satellites of Uranium practically coincide with the equatorial plane of the planet. Any of them does not possess the atmosphere and does not reach the sizes of minor planets. Satellites of internal group, are fragments of irregular shape, sizes 50 - 150 km. All of them fly about Uranium within several hours. Orbits of internal satellites quickly change. Possibly, they are suppliers of material for planet rings. The largest are the main satellites. They are 5. Diameter of the biggest of them - Titania – 1158 km. The main satellites consist of ice and rocky breeds. The third group – external satellites – have reverse rotation, the small sizes, and the orbits having a considerable tilt angle to the plane of the equator of the planet. The largest – Ferdinind – does one turn around Uranium in 8 years. Possibly, all of them are captured by gravitational field of the planet from space.