Understanding a planet’s internal heat is crucial for mapping its formation and age. This corrected view of Uranus will not only help scientists better understand the history of our own solar system, but also aid in the study of the many similarly-sized exoplanets found throughout the galaxy.
For those interested in spotting Uranus and other distant planets, the Celestron NexStar 8 SE (curr. $1,749 on Amazon) is a powerful option. Its 203 mm (8-inch) aperture gathers ample light to reveal Uranus as a distinct blue-green disc — far clearer than the star-like dot seen through smaller telescopes. Under dark skies and with higher magnification, observers may even glimpse one or two of the planet’s largest moons.
Fun fact: The Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, but only managed the Uranus Flyby on January 24, 1986. Before that it flew by Jupiter (July 9, 1979) and Saturn (August 25, 1981), and Neptune after (August 25, 1989).