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The Jovian Planets, Part III

The Jovian Planets, Part III. Uranus and Neptune. URANUS The God of the Heavens. Physical Data. Discovered by William Herschel in 1781 Diameter: 51,118 km (4.01 D earth ) Mass: 8.69x10 25 kg (14.54 M earth ) Density: 1.24 g/cm 3 Rotation Period: 17.24 hours

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The Jovian Planets, Part III

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  1. The Jovian Planets, Part III Uranus and Neptune

  2. URANUSThe God of the Heavens

  3. Physical Data • Discovered by William Herschel in 1781 • Diameter: 51,118 km (4.01 Dearth) • Mass: 8.69x1025 kg (14.54 Mearth) • Density: 1.24 g/cm3 • Rotation Period: 17.24 hours • Tilt of Axis: 98o (retrograde rotation!) • Surface Temperature: 52 K (-366o F)

  4. Physical Data • Orbital Semi-Major Axis: 19.18 AU • Orbital Period: 84.01 years • Orbital Inclination: 0.8o • Orbital Eccentricity: 0.047 • Surface Gravity: 0.919 Earth gravity • Satellites: 27 as of 2011 • Magnetic Field: yes

  5. Uranus’ Interior MOLECULAR HYDROGEN ATMOSPHERE ICE ROCK

  6. First discovered planet even though at its closest to earth it can be seen with the naked eye Was recorded 22 times as a star on star charts before W. Herschel discovered it as a planet in 1781 The Discovery of Uranus m

  7. Uranus’ Motions N S N SUN N S S N S • Uranus rotates on its side, producing strange • seasons and day-night patterns

  8. Uranus’ Atmosphere COMPOSITION: • 85% Hydrogen • 15% Helium • Traces of Methane CLOUDS: • Mostly made of methane ice • Featureless cloudtops (inconspicous bands)

  9. Magnetic dipole is offset 31% from the center of the planet Tilted -59o from rotational axis Comparable in strength to Earth’s (0.74 Earth’s) Uranus has aurora and radio emissions Uranus’ Magnetic Field

  10. Found from star occultations in 1977 Thought to be made of stone Uranus also has partial rings called “ring arcs” Also has sheperd satellites Uranus’ Rings

  11. Uranus’ Moons • All are named after William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope characters • There are 15 known moons

  12. MIRANDA: Surface is a weird mix of old and new terrain It has been proposed than it was shattered and reassembled in this way There was not enough heat to fuse it smoothly together Uranus’ Moons m

  13. ARIEL: Youngest surface of the Uranian Satellites There is evidence of tectonic activity It has faults over 10 km deep Uranus’ Moons

  14. TITANIA: Largest of Uranus’ moons Has faults up to 100 km across Has a heavily cratered surface Uranus’ Moons

  15. NEPTUNEGOD OF THE SEA

  16. Physical Data • First observed in 1846 by Johann Galle • Diameter: 49,500 km (3.89 Dearth) • Mass: 1.030x1026 kg (17.23 Mearth) • Density: 1.61 g/cm3 • Rotation Period: 16.11 hours • Tilt of Axis: 28.76o • Surface Temperature: 57 K (-357o F)

  17. Physical Data • Orbital Semi-Major Axis: 30.06 AU • Orbital Period: 164.79 years • Orbital Inclination: 1.8o • Orbital Eccentricity: 0.009 • Surface Gravity: 1.19 Earth’s gravity • Satellites: 13 as of 2011 • Magnetic Field: yes

  18. The Discovery of Neptune • It’s existence was calculated before it was observed from variations of Uranus’ orbit from what was predicted • Calculations were made by U.J. Leverrier, sent to Johann Galle at Berlin Observatory, and he found Neptune after searching for 30 minutes • Galileo actually recorded Neptune twice in 1612 and 1613 in his notebooks as a background star in his drawings of Jupiter

  19. Neptune’s Interior MOLECULAR HYDROGEN ATMOSPHERE ICE ROCK Similar to Uranus

  20. Neptune’s Atmosphere • 75% Hydrogen • 25% Helium • Small amounts of: Methane, Ammonia & Acetylene • There are three majors cloud-top features: The Great Dark Spot Dark Spot 2 Scooter

  21. The Great Dark Spot: Anti-cyclone with a circulation period of 16 days About the size of Earth In southern hemisphere Neptune’s Atmosphere

  22. Dark Spot 2: Smaller cyclone in S. hemispere Scooter: Fast rotating Rapidly changes shape Neptune’s Atmosphere Great Dark Spot Scooter Dark Spot 2

  23. Magnetic dipole is offset 55% from center of Neptune Tilted -47o with respect to rotational axis Has a field strength of 0.4x Earth’s at the equator Has aurora and radio emissions Neptune’s Magnetic Field

  24. Discovered in 1981 Brighter areas are ring arcs There is a total of 5 rings, all very thin Neptune’s Rings

  25. TRITON: Has thin atmosphere, geysers, and strange “cantaloupe terrain” Diameter: 3000km Neptune’s Moons

  26. Proteus: Second largest moon of Neptune discovered by Voyager Surprisingly, Neried, Neptune’s third largest moon was discovered from the ground before Proteus Neptune’s Moons

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