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Timoothy
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Uranus is said to rotate on its side relative to the sun, and it also moves in such a way that both its poles (north an south) take turns facing the sun during its orbit, so does Uranus rotate on two separate poles?
Timoothy said:Uranus is said to rotate on its side relative to the sun, and it also moves in such a way that both its poles (north an south) take turns facing the sun during its orbit, so does Uranus rotate on two separate poles?
DaveC426913 said:As it revolves around the sun, its rotational axis does not change orientation; i.e. if Uranus has a Pole star (its rotational axis pointing at one star), then that will be its pole star throughout its year (just like with Earth).
This means that Uranus has two axis points around which it spins, similar to Earth's North and South poles. However, Uranus' axis points are tilted at a much more extreme angle, causing it to appear to "roll" around the Sun rather than spin like a top.
One rotation on Uranus takes about 17 Earth hours. This is due to the planet's extreme tilt and its distance from the Sun, which affects its rotational speed.
In addition to its rotation on two poles, Uranus also orbits the Sun in a counterclockwise direction. Its orbit is elliptical, meaning it is not a perfect circle, and it takes about 84 Earth years to complete one orbit.
The extreme tilt of Uranus' axis is the reason for its unique rotation. Scientists believe that a massive collision with another object early in the planet's formation may have caused its axis to tilt so drastically.
The tilted axis of Uranus creates extreme seasonal changes on the planet, which in turn affects its atmosphere. This causes intense wind patterns and storms, as well as changes in cloud formations and temperature.