Length of the year of the planets of the solar system. An old mystery: how long is a day on Saturn? Who discovered Uranus
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Venus is the planet with the longest day in the solar system. Description of retrograde Venus, rotation around its axis and comparison table with other planets.
To rank the length of the day on the planets solar system, it is important to understand what exactly we mean. The day of the planet is the time during which the body rotates its axis. We know that the Earth has 24 hours. But others solar planets differ considerably. At Venus the longest day among all the planets in the solar system– 243 days. This is even longer than its orbital tour - 224.65 days.
Let's compare with the indicators of other planets in order:
- Mercury: 58 days and 15 hours.
- Venus: 243 days.
- Mars: 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds.
- Jupiter: 9.9 hours.
- Saturn: 10 hours 45 minutes 45 seconds.
- Uranus: 17 hours, 14 minutes and 24 seconds.
- Neptune: 16 hours, 6 minutes and 36 seconds. But it is worth noting here that the equator and the poles rotate at different speeds.
Now let's figure out how long a day lasts on Venus. The fact is that the planet is planted closer to the star and is characterized by retrograde rotation - in the opposite direction.
Several probes have visited the surface of Venus and even managed to end up on the surface. You will be surprised, but in 1973 the possibility of a human mission was considered. The crew was to consist of three people on a Saturn V rocket and fly at a distance of 5000 km from the planet.
Uranus is located at a distance of about 2.88 billion km or 19.2 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun. Since the planet follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, the figures above represent the average distance between the planet and the Sun. At its closest point to the Sun, also known as its perihelion position, Uranus is located 2.75 billion km or 18.4 AU. e. from the Sun. At its aphelion position, or at its most distant point, Uranus moves away from the Sun by 3 billion km or 20.1 AU. e.
What is the distance between Uranus and Earth?
The distance from Uranus to Earth is constantly changing depending on the movements of both planets in their orbits. The closest distance between the two planets is 2.57 billion km, and the most distant is 3.15 billion km.
Who discovered Uranus?
Sir William Herschel, a British astronomer, made observations of Uranus on March 13, 1781. He left notes about what he saw in the garden of his home in Somerset, England, and reported the discovery on April 26, 1781, but he mistook the planet for a comet.
How did Uranus get its name?
The planet received its name directly from the name of the sky deity from Greek mythology - Uranus.
What is the density of Uranus?
The density of Uranus is 1.27 g per cm³, which is the second lowest density of any planet in the Solar System.
What is the diameter of Uranus?
The diameter of Uranus is 51,118 km, which is more than 4 times the diameter of our planet.
How many Earths can Uranus contain?
The total volume of Uranus is 6.833 × 1013 km3 and, therefore, it is capable of containing 63 of our Earths!
What is Uranus made of?
Uranus is the second least dense planet in the solar system after Saturn. This fact gives an idea of its composition. The planet is a collection of frozen methane, ammonia and water. The exact mass of Uranian ice is not known and is believed to be between 9.3 and 13.5 Earth masses. Hydrogen and helium account for the rest of the planet's mass. Uranium consists of three main layers: an inner rocky core, a middle mantle of ice, and an outer gaseous layer that includes hydrogen and helium.
How many rings does Uranus have?
Uranus is surrounded by 13 known rings, ranging in radius from about 38,000 km to about 98,000 km. They are formed, as a rule, from relatively large bodies with a diameter of 0.2-20 m.
Atmosphere of Uranus
Uranus has a unique atmosphere consisting of three layers: the troposphere, stratosphere and thermosphere. The planet's atmosphere is considered the coldest in the solar system and can cool to a temperature of -224º C. The lower layers of the atmosphere are rich in volatile substances such as methane, water and ammonia. The upper atmosphere mainly contains hydrogen and helium.
How many moons does Uranus have?
Uranus has 27 natural satellites. However, the moons of Uranus are the smallest among the other moons. Uranus' largest moon, Titania, has a radius of 788.9 km, making it the eighth largest moon in the Solar System. Satellites are typically made of rock and ice in a ratio of about 1:1.
What is the temperature of Uranus?
Uranus is one of the. Temperatures near the planet's cloud tops can drop to -216º C. The most low temperature, recorded in the tropopause of Uranus, is -224º C.
Can Uranus support life?
It is quite difficult to answer the question of whether Uranus will be able to support life, since the planet has conditions that both promote and also hinder the survival of living organisms. Uranus has an abundance of methane, which is a key biosignature. There is a possibility that a liquid ocean consisting of water is present near the planet's core. Although, the bad news is that in the heart of the planet there is enormous pressure that no life form known to us can withstand. In addition, Uranus has the coldest atmosphere in the solar system. Thus, no terrestrial life can survive in such extreme conditions, but specially adapted extraterrestrial life could be used.
Jupiter is the fifth planet from our Sun and is located between Mars and Saturn. If you think that the Earth is big, then it is simply nothing compared to Jupiter, which is the largest planet in our solar system!
The mass of Jupiter is 317 times the mass of the Earth, and also 2.5 times the mass of all other planets in the solar system combined! If we talk about volume, then 1300 planets like Earth will fit into Jupiter. The gravity on this “giant” is 2.5 times greater than on Earth. If someone weighing 100 kg stood on the surface of Jupiter, he would weigh 250 kg there.
Jupiterian stripes are a feature that only the planet Jupiter possesses. None of the gas giants have such stripes! According to one of the hypotheses, the appearance of stripes is a direct consequence of the impact of its satellites on the planet Jupiter. Under their influence, elongated formations of a gaseous substance were allegedly formed, which, through their rotation, formed stripes.
When looking at the night sky, the planet Jupiter is the third brightest object. The brightest objects in our solar system are Venus and the Moon. However, Jupiter shines even brighter than the most bright Star in the sky - Sirius. With good binoculars or a small telescope, you can see the white disk of Jupiter, as well as its 4 bright satellites.
Jupiter has 63 satellites! Ganymede is the largest moon (larger than the planet Mercury). On Europa, water was discovered under a thick layer of ice, and on the surface of another satellite - Io - as many as 8 active volcanoes were discovered!
It's hard to believe, but Jupiter has 4 rings! The most important of them is left after the collision of meteorites with 4 satellites (Thebe, Metis, Adrastea and Almathea). Unlike Saturn's rings, no ice has been found in the rings of Jupiter. Recently, scientists discovered another ring, located closest to the planet. They named him Galo.
Scientists have calculated that Jupiter emits 2-3 times more energy than it receives from the Sun. This phenomenon is explained by scientists by the processes of gradual compression of the planet, as well as possible radioactive decay in the bowels of Jupiter.
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Did you know...
Visible even with a small telescope, the Great Red Spot is a giant rotating cyclone that has been observed since the 1800s. A century ago it was 40,000 km long, but currently its size has been reduced by half. The Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter is the largest atmospheric vortex in the solar system!
Its length could accommodate 3 Earth-sized planets. It rotates counterclockwise at a speed of about 435 km/h. Despite its mass, Jupiter rotates around its axis faster than any other planet in the solar system. It only takes 10 hours to complete a full revolution! Jupiter's rapid rotation occurs due to magnetic field
, as well as radiation around the planet. Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field in our solar system. It is 14 times larger than on Earth! Some astronomers believe that such a field is created by the movement of metallic hydrogen inside the planet. Indeed, at the temperatures and pressures reached inside Jupiter, hydrogen is a liquid, not a gas. It is a conductor of electricity, and currents in it electric currents
create the planet's magnetic field.
Another oddity of Jupiter is the phenomenon of “hot shadows”. The fact is that in the shade the temperature is usually lower than on the surrounding surface. But not on Jupiter! On this planet, where the shadow of its satellites falls on the surface, the temperature is higher than in open areas Spring has come. The gray and dull snow disappeared from the fields, and the sun became warmer and more gentle. Nature awakens: the first greenery begins to emerge, the buds on the trees swell and bloom, and return migratory birds
, and living creatures get out of holes and nests. Soon summer, autumn, winter will come and spring will come again. Seasons change on our planet from year to year. But what ensures these cyclical changes in nature? The main reason for the change of seasons is the tilt of the axis of our planet relative to the ecliptic plane, i.e. the plane of rotation of the Earth around the Sun. The Earth's axis is tilted from the ecliptic plane by 23.44°. If this angle were, the seasons would never change on the planet, the length of day and night would be the same, and the sun would rise above the horizon to the same height throughout the year.
Do seasons change on other planets in the solar system?
Mercury
If we take into account only that indicator that has a decisive influence on the formation of the seasons on Earth, the tilt of the rotation axis, then Mercury should not have the seasons we are accustomed to. However, Mercury moves in a very elongated orbit, approaching the Sun at perihelion by 46 million km and moving away by 70 million km at aphelion, which has a significant influence on the formation of Mercury's weather. Being at a short distance from the Sun, the illuminated side of Mercury heats up to an average of +300°C (maximum: +427°C) and the Mercury summer begins. In the far part of the orbit, winter sets in; even during the day at this time the temperature does not rise above 107°C, and at night it drops to -193°C.
Dawn on Mercury occurs only once every two years (every 176 days), but it is the hottest dawn in the entire system.
At the same time, almost no sunlight reaches the poles of Mercury due to the minimal inclination of the rotation axis to the ecliptic plane (0.01°). In these dark and cold regions, polar ice caps have been discovered, although they are only 2 meters thick.
Interestingly, a day (175.94 Earth days) on Mercury lasts twice as long as a year (87.97 Earth days).
On Venus, like on Mercury, there is also no change of seasons. Venus' rotation axis angle is an impressive 177°, in other words, this planet has an inverted orientation, and the actual inclination angle is only 3°. Orbital eccentricity, i.e. its degree of deviation from the circle is extremely small (0.01) and therefore does not make any adjustments to the weather. A hot summer reigns on the surface of the planet all year round: the average temperature exceeds +400°C.
Venus is sultry all year round, with an average temperature of about +400°C.
Mars
Mars is similar to our planet in many ways. The inclination of the axis of rotation of Mars relative to the plane of its orbit is 25.2°, which is only slightly greater than that of Earth. The eccentricity of the Red Planet's orbit is also slightly larger. As a result, the Martian climate is slightly more seasonal, meaning the differences (especially in temperature) between the different seasons are more pronounced.
Another one interesting feature Martian seasons is that they differ significantly in different hemispheres of the planet. Thus, in the southern hemisphere there are hot summers and cold winters, while in the northern hemisphere there are no such contrasts - both summer and winter here are mild.
Jupiter
The axis of rotation of the giant planet is inclined by only 3.13° relative to the orbital plane, and the degree of deviation of the orbit itself from the circle is also minimal (0.05). In other words, the climate here is not seasonal and is constant throughout the year.
Saturn
The inclination of Saturn's rotation axis is 29°, so the change of seasons on this planet is characterized by more pronounced differences in the number of sunlight, and therefore temperatures, than on Earth. Each season - be it summer or autumn - lasts about 7 years on the giant planet. Depending on the time of year, Saturn can change its color. Eight years ago, when Cassini first approached the planet, it was winter in the northern hemisphere and this part of Saturn had a blue tint. Today the south is painted blue - winter has arrived there. According to astronomers, this phenomenon occurs due to the intensity of ultraviolet radiation - in winter it decreases, with the arrival of summer it increases.
Winter on Saturn's southern hemisphere. The blue haze that covers the south pole of the planet is a direct consequence of the drop in temperature, i.e. the arrival of winter. 10 years ago, in 2004, exactly the same blue fog shrouded the northern pole of the gas giant.
Uranus
The angle of inclination of the planet's rotation axis is 97.86° - in other words, Uranus lies on its side slightly upside down. This factor explains the rather specific change of seasons. During solstices, only one of the planet's poles faces the Sun. The change of day and night that is familiar to us is characteristic only of the equator; the remaining parts of Uranus are under the cover of the polar day or polar night for 42 Earth years.
Voyager 2 photograph of Uranus
At the pole facing the Sun, dramatic changes occur: the temperature increases significantly, the upper layers of the atmosphere begin to slowly acquire bright colors, replacing a pale blue hue, the speed of winds and the number of clouds increase.
Neptune
On Neptune, the rotation axis is tilted by 30°, so the seasons here are similar to those on Earth, but the distance of the planet from the Sun makes its own adjustments. A year on Neptune is almost 165 Earth years, therefore each season lasts, no more and no less, 41 years! Summer began in the southern hemisphere in 2005 and will last until 2046.
Time on Earth is taken for granted. People don't realize that the interval by which time is measured is relative. For example, days and years are measured using physical factors: The distance from the planet to the Sun is taken into account. One year is equal to the time it takes for the planet to circle the Sun, and one day is the time it takes to completely rotate around its axis. The same principle is used to calculate time for other celestial bodies solar system. Many people are interested in how long a day is on Mars, Venus and other planets?
On our planet, a day lasts 24 hours. It takes exactly this many hours for the Earth to rotate around its axis. The length of the day on Mars and other planets is different: in some places it is short, and in others it is very long.
Definition of time
To find out how long a day is on Mars, you can use solar or sidereal days. The last measurement option represents the period during which the planet makes one rotation around its axis. The day measures the time it takes for the stars in the sky to become in the same position from which the countdown began. Star Trek Earth is 23 hours and almost 57 minutes.
A solar day is a unit of time during which the planet rotates around its axis relative to sunlight. The principle of measuring this system is the same as when measuring the sidereal day, only the Sun is used as a reference point. Stellar and sunny day may be different.
How long is a day on Mars according to the stellar and solar system? A sidereal day on the red planet is 24 and a half hours. A solar day lasts a little longer - 24 hours and 40 minutes. A day on Mars is 2.7% longer than a day on Earth.
When sending vehicles to explore Mars, the time on it is taken into account. The devices have a special built-in clock, which diverges from the earth’s clock by 2.7%. Knowing how long a day is on Mars allows scientists to create special rovers that are synchronized with the Martian day. The use of special clocks is important for science, since Mars rovers are powered by solar panels. As an experiment, a clock was developed for Mars that took into account the solar day, but it was not possible to use it.
The prime meridian on Mars is considered to be the one that passes through a crater called Airy. However, the red planet does not have time zones like Earth.
Martian time
Knowing how many hours there are in a day on Mars, you can calculate the length of a year. The seasonal cycle is similar to the Earth's: Mars has the same inclination as the Earth (25.19°) in relation to its own orbital plane. The distance from the Sun to the red planet varies at various periods from 206 to 249 million kilometers.
Temperature readings differ from ours:
- average temperature -46 °C;
- during the period of removal from the Sun, the temperature is about -143 ° C;
- V summer time- -35 °C.
Water on Mars
Scientists made an interesting discovery in 2008. The Mars rover discovered water ice at the planet's poles. Before this discovery, it was believed that on the surface there was only carbon dioxide ice. Even later, it turned out that precipitation falls in the form of snow on the red planet, and near south pole Carbon dioxide snow falls.
Throughout the year, storms are observed on Mars that extend over hundreds of thousands of kilometers. They make it difficult to track what is happening on the surface.
A year on Mars
The red planet circles the Sun in 686 Earth days, moving at a speed of 24 thousand kilometers per second. A whole system for designating Martian years has been developed.
While studying the question of how long a day on Mars is in hours, humanity has made many sensational discoveries. They show that the red planet is close to Earth.
Length of a year on Mercury
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. It rotates around its axis in 58 Earth days, that is, one day on Mercury is 58 Earth days. And to fly around the Sun, the planet needs only 88 Earth days. This amazing discovery shows that on this planet, a year lasts almost three Earth months, and while our planet circles the Sun, Mercury makes more than four revolutions. How long is a day on Mars and other planets when compared with Mercury time? This is surprising, but in just one and a half Martian days a whole year passes on Mercury.
Time on Venus
The time on Venus is unusual. One day on this planet lasts 243 Earth days, and a year on this planet lasts 224 Earth days. It seems strange, but such is the mysterious Venus.
Time on Jupiter
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Based on its size, many people think that the day on it lasts a long time, but this is not so. Its duration is 9 hours 55 minutes - this is less than half the length of our earthly day. The gas giant rotates rapidly around its axis. By the way, because of it, constant hurricanes and strong storms rage on the planet.
Time on Saturn
A day on Saturn lasts about the same as on Jupiter, 10 hours 33 minutes. But a year lasts approximately 29,345 Earth years.
Time on Uranus
Uranus is an unusual planet, and determining how long daylight hours will last on it is not so easy. A sidereal day on the planet lasts 17 hours and 14 minutes. However, the giant has a strong axis tilt, causing it to orbit the Sun almost on its side. Because of this, at one pole summer will last 42 Earth years, while at the other pole it will be night at that time. When the planet rotates, the other pole will be illuminated for 42 years. Scientists have come to the conclusion that a day on the planet lasts 84 Earth years: one Uranian year lasts almost one Uranian day.
Time on other planets
While studying the question of how long a day and a year last on Mars and other planets, scientists have found unique exoplanets where a year lasts only 8.5 Earth hours. This planet is called Kepler 78b. Another planet, KOI 1843.03, was also discovered with a shorter rotation period around its sun - just 4.25 Earth hours. Every day a person would become three years older if he lived not on Earth, but on one of these planets. If people could adjust to the planetary year, then it would be best to go to Pluto. On this dwarf, a year is 248.59 Earth years.