Sagan Planet Walk
An ice giant, tipped on its side
· Uranus has a rocky core, a mantle of water ice, ammonia ice, and methane ice, and a gaseous outer envelope of hydrogen, helium and a bit of methane gas, giving it a blue tint.
· Winds on Uranus can reach speeds of 900 km/hr, four times faster than the strongest winds on Earth!
· The poles of Uranus are tipped by 98°, so the planet rotates on its side as it orbits the Sun.
· Uranus has 13 distinct rings, which may have formed from the destruction of ancient moons.
· Because Uranus is tipped on its side, its polar regions are in almost complete darkness for nearly 21 years at a time!
[Photo caption reads]
Keck Observatory image of Uranus with its rings and methane clouds
...and its rocky-ice moons
· The moons of Uranus are composed of rock and ice. Their surfaces are heavily cratered.
· Miranda is home to Verona Rupes, the tallest cliff in our Solar System. At 20 km deep, it is ten times deeper than Earth's Grand Canyon!
· Voyager 2 detected silicate rock and water ice with hints of carbon dioxide on Ariel.
· Cupid, the smallest Uranian moon, is only 18 km in diameter.
[Photo caption reads]
The six largest moons, from left to right: Puck, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon.
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[Text
in blue band at left side of marker]
The mass of 14.5 Earths = the mass of 1 Uranus
One Uranus day = 17 hours and 15 minutes
1 Uranus year = 84 Earth years
Known moons: 27
The diameter of Uranus = 4 Earth diameters
Earth Highest [temp] 57°c · Lowest [temp] -89°c
Uranus Mean [temp] -214°c
Weight on Earth 100 [lbs]
Weight on Uranus 107 [lbs]
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In the Sun-sized window is a scaled representations of Uranus.
This sculpture and walking tour depict our Solar System at on five-billionth (1/5,000,000,000) of its actual size.
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