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ppatter1
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How often does the sun rise at the south pole of Uranus?
Go on, tell us.mgb_phys said:Yes, but the question is about uranus which has an axial tilt of 98deg
ppatter1 said:How often does the sun rise at the south pole of Uranus?
Heh, yeah, you're right - not so much of a trick (or maybe I tricked myself with it?).LURCH said:I don't see the trick (which probably means I fell for it); Neptune has an axial tilt of about 30o, and an orbital period of about 150yrs. So sunrise would be once every 150yrs, wouldn't it?
LURCH said:I don't see the trick (which probably means I fell for it); Neptune has an axial tilt of about 30o, and an orbital period of about 150yrs. So sunrise would be once every 150yrs, wouldn't it?
That's the point, Uranus is slightly odd in that it's axis points towards the sun.pixel01 said:It's rather tricky. Every planet's south pole or north pole has one sunrise (sunset) every year (planet's year), unless its axis is perpendicular to the orbital plane
mgb_phys said:That's the point, Uranus is slightly odd in that it's axis points towards the sun.
ppatter1 said:How often does the sun rise at the south pole of Uranus?
You would call it ordinary because, as already mentioned, that assumption was false (not just "out by 8 degrees" either).mgb_phys said:I assumed one pole [always] pointed at the sun. So if the pole is pointed in a constant direct (relatice ot distant stars ) what would you call this rotation?
What makes you think satellites can do such a thing (except perhaps by powering flywheels then ignoring them when measuring the "satellite rotation")?LURCH said:I don't think there is such an object yet discovered, but I still can't figure out why. Sattelites in Earth orbit do [spin on an axis that is maintained directed toward the Earth rather than a star], so why not natural sattelites around their host bodies?
On Uranus, sunrise occurs approximately once every 42 years at the South Pole. This is due to the planet's tilt and its long orbital period around the sun.
The infrequent sunrises on Uranus are caused by the planet's extreme tilt of 98 degrees. This means that at certain points in its orbit, one pole is constantly facing towards the sun while the other is in constant darkness.
Yes, there is some variation in the frequency of sunrises on Uranus due to its elliptical orbit. This means that at certain points in its orbit, the sunrise may occur more frequently than every 42 years.
The long sunrise cycle on Uranus greatly affects its climate. The long periods of sunlight and darkness can result in extreme temperature variations and intense winds, contributing to the planet's harsh and unpredictable weather patterns.
Yes, during sunrise on Uranus' South Pole, the planet's rings are also tipped almost edge-on to the sun, creating a unique and spectacular view. This phenomenon is only visible from certain points on the planet and adds to the intrigue and mystery surrounding Uranus.