Congratulations – you’ve found:
Uranus
Uranus is a really unique and interesting planet in our solar system! It’s the seventh planet from the Sun and is quite different from the others. Uranus is a pale blue-green colour and it’s known for spinning on its side, which is different from how most planets spin. It’s like the “sideways planet” of our solar system!
Fun Facts:
- Tilted on its Side: Uranus is like a cosmic cartwheeler! Most planets spin like tops, but Uranus is tilted on its side, so it looks like it’s rolling through space.
- Icy and Cold: Uranus is really, really cold. It’s so far from the Sun that it doesn’t get much heat. Even though it’s not the farthest planet, it’s the coldest!
- Named After a Greek God: Uranus is named after the ancient Greek god of the sky. He was like the boss of everything up high in the air.
- Moons Galore: Uranus has a bunch of moons, just like some of the other big planets. There are at least 27 moons orbiting around Uranus!
- No Solid Surface: Like Jupiter and Saturn, Uranus doesn’t have a solid surface. It’s mostly made of gas and has a very thick atmosphere.
- Rings Like Saturn: Uranus also has rings, but they’re not as famous or as bright as Saturn’s. They’re made of dust, rocks, and ice.
- Slow Spinner: Even though Uranus rolls around on its side, it’s not a fast spinner. One day on Uranus is about 17 hours long, which is a bit shorter than a day on Earth.
- Frozen Atmosphere: The atmosphere of Uranus is really cold and filled with icy gases like methane. It gives the planet its unique blue-green colour.
- Discovery with a Telescope: Uranus is the first planet to be discovered with a telescope. It was spotted by an astronomer named William Herschel in 1781.
- Explored by Voyager 2: A spacecraft called Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986 and sent back lots of pictures and information about this icy giant.
Uranus is a special planet because of its unique features, especially the way it rolls through space. It’s like the cool, sideways planet of our solar system!
Can you explore Dundee and find all 8 planets in our Solar System?
The distance between each planet represents the scale of the planets in our Solar System – and their distance from the Sun!
Remember to take a picture of any Solar System Trail sign and tag us to be entered into our weekly draw for Dundee Science Centre tickets!
You can find us on Facebook or Instagram – @dundeesciencecentre. You can also use the hashtag #dundeesciencecentregiveaway
If you need a hint please see a map of the locations below, or you can download a high-resolution printable trail HERE.
How many will you find?
