Planet Facts

1. Uranus is named after the Greek god of the sky. Uranus was the husband of Gaia, the goddess of the Earth.

2. The orbital speed of Uranus is 6.6 km/sec

3. A year on Uranus is equal to 84.01 Earth Years

4. Uranus is the third largest planet in the Solar System.

5. The atmosphere of Uranus is composed of hydrogen, helium, and methane. The methane in the atmosphere absorbs red light, giving the planet a blue-green color.

6. Uranus is considered unusual because the planet is tipped on its side. The poles actually point towards the Sun. This is due to the fact that its magnetic field is tilted 60 degrees from the axis of rotation.

7. Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited Uranus.

8. Like Venus, Uranus spins from east to west, which is opposite from the spin of Earth.

9. A day on Venus is equal to .72 Earth Days