A planet on its side
Uranus has an axial tilt of about 98 degrees. Its unusual orientation creates extreme seasonal changes.
← Solar SystemA planet on its side.
SOLAR SYSTEM / URANUS
A planet on its side.
A different kind of season.
A quiet-looking world with an extraordinary tilt. Uranus rolls around the Sun on its side beneath a blue-green atmosphere.
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DRAG TO ROTATE
ARTISTIC MODEL · TEXTURE & ROTATION NOT TO SCALEMEAN DIAMETER50,724 km
DISTANCE FROM SUN2,872.5 million km
ORBITAL PERIOD84 years
ICE GIANT / PLANET 07
Small facts. Big discoveries.
Blue-green chemistry
Methane in the atmosphere absorbs red light, helping give Uranus its blue-green appearance.
A world with rings, too
Saturn is not alone: Uranus has a system of faint, dark rings that is much harder to see.