The Los Angeles Post
U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: April 14, 2025
Today: April 14, 2025

A day at Uranus just got 28 seconds longer

Hubble-Uranus
April 07, 2025

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) โ€” A day at Uranus just got a little longer.

Scientists reported Monday that observations by the Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed it takes Uranus 17 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds to complete a full rotation. Thatโ€™s 28 seconds longer than estimates by NASAโ€™s Voyager 2 spacecraft in the 1980s.

A French-led team studied a decadeโ€™s worth of aurora observations at the ice giant to track its magnetic poles. That long-term tracking provided a more precise rotation period for Uranus, the seventh planet from the sun. From that distance, it takes about 84 Earth years for Uranus to orbit the sun.

A day at Uranus just got 28 seconds longer
Hubble-Uranus

โ€œThe continuous observations from Hubble were crucial,โ€ lead author Laurent Lamy of the Paris Observatory said in a statement.

Lamy and his international team said this new approach can help pinpoint the rotation of any world with auroras and a magnetosphere.

Published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the findings come a few weeks before the 35th anniversary of Hubble's launch. NASA's space shuttle Discovery delivered the space telescope to orbit on April 24, 1990.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Instituteโ€™s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Related Articles

What was the first thing scientists discovered? A historian makes the case for Babylonian astronomy Watch this guide to lunar eclipses How to see the moon turn red during Marchโ€™s total lunar eclipse NASA SPHEREx telescope is launched to study universe's origins
Share This

Popular

Health|Political|Science|US

Takeaways from AP's report on how flat funding set stage for Texas measles outbreak, might fuel more

Takeaways from AP's report on how flat funding set stage for Texas measles outbreak, might fuel more
MidEast|Political|Science|Technology|World

Saudi Arabia, US on 'pathway' to civil nuclear agreement, US Energy Secretary says

Saudi Arabia, US on 'pathway' to civil nuclear agreement, US Energy Secretary says
Environment|Science|US

Gray wolf who was brought to Colorado from Canada dies in Wyoming

Gray wolf who was brought to Colorado from Canada dies in Wyoming
Environment|Science|US

The reason for an outburst of deadly storms early in the year could be lurking in the ocean

The reason for an outburst of deadly storms early in the year could be lurking in the ocean

Technology

Asia|Business|Economy|Stock Markets|Technology

Asian tech stocks bounce back after Trump tariff exemptions

Asian tech stocks bounce back after Trump tariff exemptions
Business|Economy|Political|Technology|US

Tariffs on imported semiconductor chips coming soon, Trump says

Tariffs on imported semiconductor chips coming soon, Trump says
Business|Economy|Political|Technology|US

Trump's commerce secretary says new electronics tariff exemptions are temporary, chip tariffs coming

Trump's commerce secretary says new electronics tariff exemptions are temporary, chip tariffs coming
Business|Economy|Finance|Political|Stock Markets|Technology|US

Trump official says tariff exemptions on tech are temporary. Elizabeth Warren calls trade war โ€˜red light, green lightโ€™ game

Trump official says tariff exemptions on tech are temporary. Elizabeth Warren calls trade war โ€˜red light, green lightโ€™ game

Access this article for free.

Already have an account? Sign In