[UNLV] Water isn’t always as it seems. Under extreme conditions, such as those found on other planets, it has been discovered to change its atomic structure, giving it the means […]
Uranus
Posted inIce Giant
SwRI Staff Contribute To New Ideas About Origins Of Uranus And Neptune
[SwRI] Uranus and Neptune are often considered planetary twins due to their many similar characteristics, including size, mass and atmospheric conditions, and have long been thought to have pulled from […]
Posted inMissions & Hardware
Using Nuclear Technology To Change How We Explore Icy Ocean Worlds: Examples From Nuclear Powered Mission Concept Designs
[Frontiers] Icy ocean worlds represent some of the most compelling targets in the search for extraterrestrial life, yet their exploration is constrained by significant logistical challenges including long transit times, […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather
Contrasting C/O Ratios in Uranus and Neptune From Disequilibrium Chemistry: A Clue To Distinct Evolutionary Pathways?
[astro-ph.EP] The formation of Uranus and Neptune remains poorly constrained largely due to uncertain deep elemental abundances. Carbon monoxide (CO), a disequilibrium species in the upper troposphere, provides an indirect […]
![Example weighting functions for selected microwave frequencies (logarithmically spaced between 3 mm - 3 m) corresponding to the model atmospheres for Saturn (top) and Uranus (bottom) from Figure 1. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Microwave-Remote-.png?resize=1200%2C715&ssl=1)
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather
Microwave Remote Sensing Of Giant Planet Atmospheres: Considerations For Saturn And Uranus Orbiter Missions
[astro-ph.EP] Microwave radiometer instruments are uniquely capable of studying volatile element abundances and heat/mass transport within the deep atmospheres of giant planets.
Posted inIcy Worlds
Tracing The Source Of Carbon Oxides On The Large Moons Of Uranus
[astro-ph.EP] The Uranian moons Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon are enriched in CO2 mixed with CO, but the origin(s) of these carbon oxides, be they primarily native or radiolytic, remains […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ice Giants Revisited: Uranus And Neptune As Magma Ocean Worlds
Uranus and Neptune are commonly interpreted as volatile-rich “ice giants”, an assumption that underpins most interior models.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Ice Giant, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Uranus
Uranus Orbiter and Probe: Mission Challenges and Concept Updates Since the Origins, Worlds, and Life Decadal Survey
Origins, Worlds, and Life: Planetary Science and Astrobiology in the Next Decade identified a Uranus Orbiter and Probe as the highest-priority strategic mission for the decade 2023–2032, as it enables […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Icy Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus
Reassessing Planetary Composition: Evidence Of Rock-dominated Envelopes In Uranus And Neptune
Although Uranus and Neptune are commonly classified as ice giants, their exact compositions remain poorly constrained. Recent studies of outer Solar System bodies challenge the traditional view that these planets […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Ice Giant, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Status Report, Titan, Uranus
HiDef Neighbors: Solar System Objects As Exoplanet Analogs I. Gaseous Objects, Planets, Planetary Systems, And Small Bodies
Context. Intermediate-resolution spectral observations are vital tools for characterizing the composition and physical properties of Solar System bodies in detail. At present, the planets and moons of our Solar System […]