Winter on Uranus is 21 years long. Seasons are the result of how close to the sun a planet is as it spins on its axis. Summer occurs when planets tilt the closest to the sun, and winter comes at their furthest positioning from the sun. Uranus is different from the other planets because instead of resting on an axis like a spinning top, the planet is positioned on its side. Its seasons are determined by which hemisphere is facing the sun. However, since Uranus doesn’t turn on an axis, its seasons don’t change until the planet’s north and south poles slowly reverse. The process takes approximately 21 years to complete and result in a new season.
More about Uranus:
- Uranus was the first planet that was discovered with the use of a telescope, in 1781 by Sir William Herschel.
- One year on Uranus, or the amount of time it takes to completely orbit the Sun, is roughly the equivalent of 84 Earth years.
- Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system. Its temperatures are as cold as negative 243 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 153 degrees Celsius).