Scientists confirm a day at Uranus is longer than previously thought
- A research team verified that Uranus rotates once in 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 52 seconds.
- This new duration is 28 seconds longer than earlier estimates from the 1980s.
- These findings enhance understanding of planetary rotation and suggest new methods to study similar celestial bodies.
Recent observations made by scientists utilizing the Hubble Space Telescope have resulted in a significant discovery regarding Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. The research team, led by Laurent Lamy of the Paris Observatory, analyzed a decade’s worth of auroral observations. This long-term approach provided new insights into the planet's rotation period, ultimately culminating in a more accurate measurement than previously held estimates. The findings indicate that a full rotation on Uranus now takes approximately 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 52 seconds. This new duration has increased by 28 seconds compared to earlier estimates conducted by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft in the 1980s. The implications of this research extend beyond Uranus alone; Lamy and his team suggest potential applications of this method for determining the rotation of other celestial bodies exhibiting auroras and a magnetosphere. Published in the journal Nature Astronomy, these findings coincidentally align with the upcoming 35th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope's launch, a milestone that highlights the importance of continued astronomical research. The continuous observations from the Hubble have proven essential in refining our understanding of distant celestial phenomena.