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Uranus Aurorae Image Trio (October 2022)

This visual shows three panels that each show Uranus and dynamic aurora activity. The images were captured in October 2022 on the 8th, 10, and 24th respectively. Each image shows the planet with a strong blue hue and a visible white region. A faint ring is also visible around the planet in each image. Each image shows fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet in different locations to indicate the aurorae.

These images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope showcase the dynamic aurora on Uranus in October 2022. These observations were made by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) and includes both visible and ultraviolet data.

An international team of astronomers used Hubble to make new measurements of Uranus' interior rotation rate by analyzing more than a decade of the telescope’s observations of Uranus’ aurorae. This refinement of the planet’s rotation period achieved a level of accuracy 1000 times greater than previous estimates and serves as a crucial new reference point for future planetary research.

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
    GO #12601, 13012, 14036, 16313 and DDT #15380 (PI: L. Lamy)
  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    October 2022 on the 8th, 10, and 24th
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Uranus
  • Release Date
    April 9, 2025
  • Science Release
    Hubble Helps Determine Uranus’ Rotation Rate with Unprecedented Precision
    Read the release
  • Credit
    ESA/Hubble, NASA, L. Lamy, L. Sromovsky

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Related Images & Videos

This Hubble image shows Uranus and dynamic aurora activity on 10 October 2022. The planet is dominated by a blue hue and a large white region in the lower left. A faint ring is also visible around the planet. Fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet on the left and ride indicate the presence of aurorae.

Close-up: Uranus Aurorae (October 2022)

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Details

Last Updated
Apr 09, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
Astrophysics Communications Manager
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

Bethany Downer
ESA/Hubble Chief Science Communications Officer
Bethany.Downer@esahubble.org

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