Uranus is an amazing gas giant with an approximate distance of nineteen Astronomical Units (AU) from the sun.
Upon looking at this beautiful sky blue planet, one might assume that it is a great place for cruising at the base of the water, relaxing in on a summer vacation, watching seagulls soar over you at a remarkable pace, and wondering if there is any place better place to spend your limited summer time at. In reality, none of these misleading assumptions are actually correct. Although Uranus does indeed have trace amounts of water, it is almost entirely at the core, where temperatures soar to a scorching 9000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is obviously not enough water to cruise at the base of the ocean, so we highly recommend not going there at all.
Since Uranus is a ice giant, it is obviously cold, but how cold? With a thin atmosphere, and little sunlight, Uranus cannot trap sustainable heat, therefore losing the battle for being a summery planet, and instead becoming the coldest, with an average temperature of -320°F. This, in addition to other unsuitable conditions, like pressure and wind, prevents Uranus from having any form of life living on it, or in it.
Uranus was discovered on March 13, 1781 by German astronomer William Herschel and marked a key point in history, because it was the first planet to be discovered in 2000 years. It was not known about for so long, because it would have been challenging to track it without an equatorial mount. In addition to the lack of modern technology, there was simply less interest in cataloguing the planets.
Fast Facts
Equatorial Diameter: 31,763 miles
Orbital Tilt: 98°
Moons: 27
Rings: 13
Size: Third largest planet in solar system
In conclusion, Uranus is not exactly a warm, sunny place, but it is still amazing in many aspects!