Chandra Studies Uranus in X-rays

Uranus is depicted in blues and pinks, encircled by a near vertical white ring. The blue and white colors represent optical data obtained by the Keck-1 Telescope, and the pink represents X-ray data gathered by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The blues, which appear as blended, near vertical stripes, range from midnight blue at our right, to teal and even neon sky blue at our left. Across the right half of the planet is a teardrop-shaped patch of neon pink. Several pale blue dots mark the surface of the planet, though none appear in the hot pink patch. The near vertical ring, which is slightly tipped toward our upper-right, is quite thin. It appears white when set against the black background, and pink when it passes in front of the planet's pink patch.

March 31, 2021

Credit	X-ray: NASA/CXO/University College London/W. Dunn et al; Optical: W.M. Keck Observatory
Historical Date	March 31, 2021
Language	english

Astronomers have announced the first detection of X-rays from Uranus. Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, is an ice giant planet in the outer solar system. Like Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus and its rings appear to mainly produce X-rays by scattering solar X-rays, but some may also come from auroras. Observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory from 2002 and 2017 were used to make this discovery.

More information: https://chandra.si.edu/photo/2021/uranus/

Downloads

Chandra Studies Uranus in X-rays

Jul 20, 2024

jpeg (1.08 MB)