Uranus is not the farthest planet from the Sun, but it is the coldest. Why is that

According to NASA, the average temperature on Uranus is -195°C. It is important to understand that this particular planet is the coldest in the solar system. Here, the minimum temperature was recorded within the parent space – -224.2 ° C. If we take the average values, on Neptune, which is the last planet in the solar system according to the current classification (since 2006, Pluto has ceased to be considered a planet), the temperature is lower than on Uranus, -201°C. But the ultimate minus has a different “homeland”. Uranus is tilted at 97.77° to the Sun, for a quarter of every local year (equals 84 Earth years) it shines almost directly over every pole, and the rest of the planet is plunged into darkness. Such a cold, including from here.

Uranus has a cold, icy atmosphere

Uranus was discovered in 1781. Like Neptune, it is often referred to as an ice giant. Both planets are not like their nearest neighbors. Unlike Jupiter and Saturn, the structure of these space objects is not gaseous, but icy – in fact, the atmosphere here is appropriate. Uranus is composed primarily of hydrogen, helium and methane. The latter reflects blues and greens, giving the planet its famous turquoise hue. The temperature along with the pressure increases with distance from the surface. As with the gas giants, the zero point of Uranus is determined at the level where the pressure reaches sea level on Earth.

According to the National Weather Service, the average temperature of uranium clouds, which consist of ammonia and methane ice, is -193°C. The lowest temperature on Uranus is observed in the lower layers of the atmosphere – it is here that they fix up to -224.2 ° C.

Uranus has a very beautiful shade, which consists of blue and green colors | Konstantin Gerhald3D

Inside Uranus is hot, but only relatively

Unlike neighboring planets, Uranus most likely has a solid rocky core rather than a gaseous one. According to NASA, the temperature inside the planet can reach 4982°C. Of course, it is much warmer than on the surface, but it is important to analyze such data in comparison. The core of Uranus is considered quite cold. Jupiter, for example, should have an internal temperature of 24,000°C, while Earth’s should be around 5,960°C.

Uranus radiates very little energy into space. When NASA’s Voyager 2 satellite approached it, it discovered that the gas giant has virtually no internal heat source, so the planet gives off almost as much energy as it receives from the Sun. By comparison, Jupiter and Saturn generate internal heat and radiate about twice as much energy as they receive. The lack of internal heating on Uranus is thought to be the reason for the comparatively calm atmosphere, but that’s another story.

Source: space.

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