Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Space

NASA snaps unprecedented image of auroras on gas giant Uranus

A rare sight 4.50 million kilometers away.

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
April 13, 2017
in Great Pics, Remote sensing, Space

neptune aurora
Credit: Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Lamy / Observatoire de Paris.

Stargazers and happy campers everywhere rejoice whenever they’re fortunate enough to catch an aurora borealis. Our planet, however, isn’t the only one graced by such spectacles. These phenomena have been seen before on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Mars.

The most well studied extraterrestrial auroras are on Jupiter and Saturn while those that occur on the giant ice planet Uranus have been poorly reported. It was only in 2011 when NASA and the ESA snapped the first image of an aurora on Uranus. Now, the gaps are closing in with this remarkable composite image of Uranus by Voyager 2 and two different observations made by Hubble. The event was no accident as astronomers tracked two powerful bursts of solar wind spewed by the sun towards Uranus then directed their imaging instruments towards the gas giant.

Auroras are caused by charged particles like electrons that interact with molecules from a planet’s atmosphere or magnetosphere. This particular event imaged by NASA is the most intense seen on Uranus so far. Coupled with previous observations, astronomers now know that these powerful shimmering regions rotate along with the planet. Moreover, the observations enabled us to re-discover Uranus’ magnetic poles which became unidentifiable shortly after Voyager 2 discovered them in 1986 due to some uncertainties in measurement.

 

 

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. Uranus is leaking gas — according to NASA
  2. NASA’s New Horizons probe snaps farthest image from Earth
  3. Harvesting gas from Uranus might power interstellar flight
  4. NASA’s DAWN spacecraft successfully enters Vesta’s orbit. Snaps detailed photo
  5. NASA snaps beautiful picture of Mars as it inches over towards Earth

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW