Sideways spin
Uranus has an extreme tilt, so it spins almost on its side. This makes its seasons very unusual and very long.
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Planet lesson
Uranus
Ice giant
Uranus is an ice giant with a pale blue-green color. It is tilted so much that it spins almost sideways.
Kid fact
Uranus rolls around the Sun like a tipped-over ball.
Uranus - Final Image
Day
17.2 hours
Year
84 Earth years
Moons
27
Temperature
-195 C cloud tops
Ice giant
Uranus is called an ice giant because it contains water, methane, and ammonia ices deep inside, not because it is a ball of ordinary ice.
Blue-green color
Methane gas in the atmosphere absorbs red light and lets blue-green light scatter back to our eyes.
Rings and moons
Uranus has faint rings and 27 known moons. Many of its moons are named after characters from Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.
Look closely
Uranus can look smooth in visible light. Ask what hidden weather or rings might appear with special instruments.
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