Astronomy · Planets

Uranus

The sideways-spinning ice giant.

Order from Sun: Seventh planet
Type: Ice giant
Color: Pale blue-green
Feature: Extreme axial tilt — rotates on its side

NASA/JPL · NASA media (public domain)

Gallery

Uranus Atmosphere
Processing brings out Uranus atmosphere in this image taken by NASA Voyager 2.
1999
NASA/JPL · NASA media (public domain)
Source archive ↗

An ice giant

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the first of the two 'ice giants', whose interiors contain more icy materials than the hydrogen-helium gas giants. Methane in its atmosphere gives it a pale blue-green color.

Spinning on its side

Uranus is unique for its extreme axial tilt: it is tipped over so far that it essentially rolls along its orbit on its side. This produces extreme seasons, with each pole facing the Sun for long stretches.

A distant, faint world

At the edge of naked-eye visibility under dark skies, Uranus was the first planet discovered with a telescope. It has a system of faint rings and numerous moons.

Knowledge connections

How this connects across Asteria Star — scientific, cultural, and astrological links are kept separate.

Scientific connections

Part ofSolar System
Parent ofTitania
Parent ofOberon
Parent ofMiranda
Parent ofAriel
Parent ofUmbriel
Associated withUranus Orbiter and Probe

Observational connections

Observed byWilliam Herschel

Mission connections

Target ofVoyager 2

Discovery connections

Discovered byWilliam HerschelHerschel discovered Uranus in 1781.

Related toThe Discovery of Uranus

Space mission
Voyager 2
Voyager 2 is a NASA space probe launched in 1977 and the only spacecraft to have flown past all four giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

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Fast facts

Order from Sun: Seventh planet
Type: Ice giant
Color: Pale blue-green
Feature: Extreme axial tilt — rotates on its side

Key points

An ice giant, distinct from the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn.
Tipped on its side, so its poles take turns facing the Sun.
Its blue-green color comes from methane in the atmosphere.

Data & provenance

Stable ID: planet:uranus
Type: Planet
Domain: Scientific connections
Relationships: 11
Graph version: 1.0.0

Dataset membership

Planets

Open data

In the graph export: graph.json · graph.jsonld

Planned API: GET /api/v0/entities/planet:uranus

Scientific quality

Complete

Reviewed2 sourcesv1.0.0

7 of 7 applicable dimensions complete

Description: Complete
Source coverage: Complete
Relationship coverage: Complete
Review coverage: Complete
Citation coverage: Complete
Image coverage: Complete
Timeline coverage: Complete

Scientific entity. Dimensions that cannot apply to this object are excluded rather than counted as gaps. See the evidence framework and authority dashboard.

Provenance & sources

review 2026.1

Asteria Scientific Review Process · verification: sourced · accurate

High evidenceconfirmed
Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun, an ice giant that rotates on its side with an axial tilt of about 98 degrees.
Source: NASA (NSSDCA) — NASA Planetary Fact Sheet · Public domain (US Government work)
- NASA Planetary Fact Sheet, Planetary Fact Sheet

Reviewed by the internal Asteria Scientific Review Process — not an external institutional review. See the evidence framework and authority dashboard.

Scientific citations

Real, source-backed references — primary papers first, then datasets and institutional sources. Formatted through the citation engine; nothing is fabricated.

DatasetApproximate Positions of the Planets

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Caltech)

Cite (APA / BibTeX)

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Caltech) (n.d.). Approximate Positions of the Planets. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Caltech). https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/approx_pos.html

@misc{cite:jpl-approx-positions,
  title        = {Approximate Positions of the Planets},
  organization = {NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Caltech)},
  year         = {n.d.},
  url          = {https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/approx_pos.html},
  note         = {Public-domain Keplerian orbital elements and rates (Standish) — the method behind the computed planet positions, rise/set, and visibility.}
}

DatasetUranus Fact Sheet

NASA Goddard — NSSDCA

Cite (APA / BibTeX)

NASA Goddard — NSSDCA (n.d.). Uranus Fact Sheet. NASA Goddard — NSSDCA. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/uranusfact.html

@misc{cite:factsheet-planet-uranus,
  title        = {Uranus Fact Sheet},
  organization = {NASA Goddard — NSSDCA},
  year         = {n.d.},
  url          = {https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/uranusfact.html},
  note         = {Physical and orbital parameters for Uranus.}
}

Institutional pageUranus — NASA Solar System Exploration

NASA

Cite (APA / BibTeX)

NASA (n.d.). Uranus — NASA Solar System Exploration. NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/

@misc{cite:nasa-planet-uranus,
  title        = {Uranus — NASA Solar System Exploration},
  organization = {NASA},
  year         = {n.d.},
  url          = {https://science.nasa.gov/},
  note         = {NASA overview of Uranus.}
}

Sources & references

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.

Uranus

Gallery

An ice giant

Spinning on its side

A distant, faint world

Knowledge connections

Scientific connections

Observational connections

Mission connections

Discovery connections

Related

Neptune

Saturn

Mercury

Venus

Voyager 2

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Uranus

Gallery

An ice giant

Spinning on its side

A distant, faint world

Knowledge connections

Scientific connections

Observational connections

Mission connections

Discovery connections

Related

Related entries

Neptune

Saturn

Mercury

Venus

Related missions

Voyager 2

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