Key Information
Uranus
| Type | Planet |
| Diameter | 31,518 miles |
| Distance from the Sun | 1,783,939,065 miles |
| Orbit Time | 84.02 years |
| Length of Day | 17 hours 14 minutes |
| Temperature | -322 °F |
| Atmosphere | Hydrogen, helium, methane |
| Date of Discovery | 13 March, 1781 (William Herschel) |
| Moons | 27 |
Learning Point
- Uranus was the first planet discovered by telescope, and something that hadn’t been found by human eyes alone. The planet has an interesting ring system, different to Saturn’s and also moves around the Sun in an unusual way.
Project
- Draw Uranus and its rings.
- Overview
- Comparison
Media
Location
| Located in | Solar System, orbiting the Sun |
Fun Facts
- Uranus and Neptune are both made up of a similar set of materials, giving them a similar color, and a similar size.
- Uranus “rolls” around its orbit as it is on its side, with one of the poles facing the sun. No one is sure why this has happened, but might have been caused by an object knocking it over.
- Winds of over 560 miles per hour have been observed in the atmosphere of Uranus.
- Uranus and Neptune are both described as “Ice Giants” as the materials found on the planet are different to Saturn and Jupiter, and are more icy in structure.
- All of Uranus’ moons are named after characters in Shakespeare and Alexander Pope’s writings.
Past Lessons
| 7 | October 26, 2021 | (North America) |
| 51 | August 18, 2022 | (International) |
| 211 | January 28, 2025 | (North America) |