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NASA Captures Stunning Image of Uranus Flaunting Multi-Layered Rings

CNN Indonesia

Tuesday, 11 Apr 2023 09:30 WIB




The planet Uranus has sparkling rings. (nasa.gov web screenshot)

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) captures the image Planet Uranus who was flaunting the enchantment of a multi-layered ring of ice giants.

New image of Uranus, quoted from the website of the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), showing 11 of the 13 known planetary rings, some of which are so bright they appear to merge.

What really surprised astronomers, however, was the fact that JWST’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument is sensitive enough to capture Uranus’ two innermost dusty rings.

These faint rings were only glimpsed by two astronomical eyes aboard the Voyager 2 spacecraft that flew past Uranus in 1986.

When Voyager 2 imaged Uranus during its flight in 1986, it saw the planet as nothing more than an inert blue marble that lacked any features.

The new JWST photos are a stark contrast, portraying a dynamic and ever-changing world.

The JWST image was created by combining data from two filters, which can be viewed as blue and orange highlights, respectively.

The representative color image shows dense liquid ice composed of water, methane and ammonia above a small rocky core that comprises Uranus, which looks like a light blue snowball.

Quoted from Spacethis is the first time that scientists have seen aspects of Uranus’ missing polar caps even from follow-up images taken by Voyager 2.

At the edge of the polar cap there are bright clouds with some dimmer scenes. This includes a very bright second cloud on the left leg of Uranus.

These typical Uranus-like clouds can be seen in infrared wavelengths. These clouds are associated with stormy activity on the ice giants.

“Uranus’ north pole will experience its summer starting in 2028,” said one member of the JWST team.

Uranus’ south pole is currently on the dark side of the planet and not visible in the image, turning its back on the sun into pitch black space.

JWST managed to capture six of Uranus’s 27 known moons while photographing the ice giant. This is the brightest month; others are too dim to see in the relatively short 12-minute exposure.

Uranus has a unique orbit in the solar system with the ice giants rotating on its side. The planet’s tilt is about 90 degrees to its orbit about the sun.

This tilt causes Uranus to experience extreme seasons, as each pole is exposed to continuous sunlight for years before falling into darkness for extended periods.

It’s spring at Uranus’ north pole. This is evident from this shot by JWST seen from the right side of the bright ice giant in its northern ice cap, facing the sun.


Photo results of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) showing the position of Uranus. (nasa.gov web screenshot)

(can/arh)


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