Download Uranus Fun Facts

Uranus Fun Facts
Astronomy
Herschel
rings
Jupiter
seasons
Name:
1977
gravity
axis
heat
Period:
blue
91
moons
Sun
mass
gas giant
Greek
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun in our Solar System. This huge, icy gas-giant is
covered with clouds and is encircled by a belt of 11 faint rings and 18
___________________________. Uranus' ___________________________ color is caused by
the methane (CH4) in its atmosphere; this molecule absorbs red light. Uranus was discovered by
the British astronomer William ___________________________ on March 13, 1781. It was
named for the ancient ___________________________ god of the sky.
Uranus' 11 faint, narrow ___________________________ are composed of rock and dust. They
circle Uranus is very elliptical orbits. These rings are only a fraction of the size of Saturn's rings,
and were only discovered in _______________________.
Uranus is about 31,690 miles (51,118 km) in diameter. This is about 4 times the diameter of the
Earth. This gas giant is the third-largest planet in our Solar System (after
___________________________ and Saturn).
Each day on Uranus takes 17.9 Earth hours. A year on Uranus takes 84.07 Earth years; it takes
84.07 Earth years for Uranus to orbit the ___________________________ once.
Uranus' rotational axis is strongly tilted on its side (97.9°). Instead of rotating with its axis
roughly perpendicular to the plane of its orbit (like all the other planets in our Solar System),
Uranus rotates on its side (along its orbital path). This tipped rotational
___________________________ gives rise to extreme ___________________________ on
Uranus. The mean temperature on the surface of Uranus' cloud layer is -350°F (59 K). Uranus
radiates very little ___________________________ in comparison with the other
___________________________ planets.
Uranus' ___________________________ is about 8.68 x 1025 kg. This is about 14 times the
mass of the Earth, but the gravity on Uranus is only 91% of the
___________________________ on Earth. This is because it is such a large planet (and the
gravitational force a planet exerts upon an object at the planet's surface is proportional to its mass
and to the inverse of its radius squared). A 100-pound person on Uranus would weigh
________________________ pounds.
Saturn Quiz
1. Uranus is the third-largest planet in the Solar System. Is its diameter 4-times, 14-times, or 24times bigger than the Earth?_________________
2. Would a person weigh more, less, or the same on Uranus as they would on Earth?
___________________
3. How long does it take Uranus to revolve around the Sun (one Uranus
year)?_______________________
4. Uranus' axis is very tilted; what does this lead to? _______________________
5. What is the major component of Uranus' atmosphere? ___________________
6. Does Uranus have a solid surface? _______________________
7. What is the longest period of daylight on Uranus? ______________________
8. Does Uranus have rings circling it? _______________________
9. How many moons does Uranus have? ______________________
10. When was Uranus discovered? ______________________