One day of Uranus is longer than thought, the Hubble telescope reveals
A new way of measuring the duration of Uranus’s day can also help determine the rotational rates of heavenly objects, including exoplanets
Auroras image on Uranus, seen on October 10, 2022 by Hubble Space Telescope.
ESA / HUBBLE, NASA, L. LOMY, L. Sromovsky
Uranus got a little longer in your hands.
A fresh study made by the observation of the Hubble Space Telescope Uranus It takes 17 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds to complete the full rotation – this is 28 seconds more than the estimate of the NASA Voyager 2 in four decades ago.
In January 1986, Voyager 2 It was the first to explore Uranus space and with its data, the astronomers had a period of rotation of the giant ice in 17 hours, 14 minutes and 24 seconds. This estimate focused on radio signals that emitted the Aurora of Turquoise and direct magnetic field measurements. This figure became the enigmatic world to calculate the coordinates and map his surface. Scientists may need to be rethought by some of these maps, a new study suggests.
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Voyager 2 data based on the initial estimation, in Uranus led to an 180 degree error, after its magnetic focus orientation “completely lost” the spacecraft fllyby has passed a couple of years. Therefore, the coordinate systems based on the constructed rotation period quickly lost reliability, according to the study.
To resolve this issue, a group of astronomers headed by Laurent Lamy of Paris Observatory, followed the motion of space telescopes collected between 2011 and 2022 for more than a decade.
“Hubble’s constant observations were important,” Lamy added a term. “Without this data wealth, it would be impossible to perceive the level of accuracy achieved by the periodic signal.”
This approach can be used to determine the rotation rate of any magnetic field and auroras, not only in our solar system, but also in other exoplanet and remote worlds, researchers say.
This audiovisual shows three sequential images of the Hubble Space telescope to follow the dynamic Auroral activity of Uranus. The images were captured in October 2022, 8th, 10 and 24 respectively.
ESA / HUBBLE, NASA, L. LOMY, L. Sromovsky
URANO rotational period estimates much more reliable coordinate system for giant ice, is expected to continue to specific decades, until future missions are even more refined, according to the new study. Improved estimate could also be useful Planning future missions To Uranos, especially to define the orbital walks and selecting appropriate atmospheric entrance sites, Lamy and his team wrote in a new study.
This study is described on paper Monday (April 7) published Natura Astronomy magazine.
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