Facts About Uranus For Kids
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Uranus is one of the eight planets in our solar system. It is a very unique planet with some fascinating facts that many kids might not know. In this article, we will explore some interesting facts about Uranus that kids will definitely find exciting.
1. Size matters
Uranus is the third largest planet in our solar system, right after Jupiter and Saturn. It has a diameter of about 51,000 kilometers, making it four times larger than the Earth.
2. A rocking planet
Unlike any other planet in our solar system, Uranus rotates on its side. This means that its North Pole and South Pole are almost aligned with the planet’s orbit around the sun. It is believed that this tilt may have been caused by a collision with a large object during its formation.
3. Icy composition
Uranus is an ice giant planet. It is composed mainly of rock and ice, including water, methane, and ammonia. This gives it a blue-green color, which is distinct from other planets in our solar system.
4. Moons around Uranus
Uranus has 27 known moons. The five largest moons are Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon. And all of them are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. Miranda is the smallest and most interesting of Uranus’s moons.
5. A long day
Uranus takes about 17 hours to make one full rotation on its axis. This is much shorter than a day on Earth. However, due to its distance from the sun, Uranus takes 84 Earth-years to orbit around the sun, making it one of the slowest-moving planets in our Solar System.
6. Great discovery
Uranus was discovered in 1781 by William Herschel, a German-born British astronomer. He was the first person to discover a planet using a telescope. Before this discovery, only five other planets were known to exist. This was a great achievement in the world of astronomy.
In Conclusion, Uranus remains an interesting planet with many unique characteristics. With its icy composition, 27 moons, a long day, and its discovery, Uranus is definitely a fascinating planet.