Voyager celebrates 25 years since Uranus visit

PhysOrg.com ^

[fishtank]

(PhysOrg.com) -- As NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft made the only close approach to date of our mysterious seventh planet Uranus 25 years ago, Project Scientist Ed Stone and the Voyager team gathered at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., to pore over the data coming in.

Images of the small, icy Uranus moon Miranda were particularly surprising. Since small moons tend to cool and freeze over rapidly after their formation, scientists had expected a boring, ancient surface, pockmarked by crater-upon-weathered-crater. Instead they saw grooved terrain with linear valleys and ridges cutting through the older terrain and sometimes coming together in chevron shapes. They also saw dramatic fault scarps, or cliffs. All of this indicated that periods of tectonic and thermal activity had rocked Miranda's surface in the past.

[JRios1968]

I agree with Dr Farnsworth’s idea...in order to avoid the obvious joke, rename the planet “Urrectum”

[GunRunner]

Voyager 'celebrates'

Must be a lonely celebration.

[Snardius]

If this planet were gay all it’s troubles would be behind it...

[reagan_fanatic]

Hubert J. Farnsworth - now there’s a man you can trust with Uranus.

[Waverunner]

Grapic demonstrating Uranus spinning sideways

[The Comedian]

I remember that movie from when I was a kid. Messed me up good.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[wxgesr]

So that’s what did it....

[swain_forkbeard]

“Did you know that Uranus spins sideways?”

You mean its axis of rotation is oriented parallel (more or less) to the ecliptic, not perpendicular (more or less) like earth’s?

[CholeraJoe]

It’s been a whole lot longer than 25 years since anything visited myanus. Maybe that suppository I got back in 1961.

[MrB]

Exactly.

But, admit it, you can’t say “uranus spins sideways” without grinning.

[2nd Amendment]

Elton John and Barney Frank has been closer to Uranus than anybody.

[Oratam]

25 years and still no flowers.

[razbinn]

since this is a uranus thread...has anyone seen “The Human Centipede”????

[SuperLuminal]

"In other news, Rahm Emmanuel is still off the ballot in Chicago"

Actually this news may be related to Rahm E. The statement in the title of this article may be addressed to him:
Voyeur celebrates 25 years since Uranus visit
Just a mispelling in the title...

[Secret Agent Man]

I suppose “Journey To Uranus” could really confuse a lot of people, and sound very gross if pronounced a certain way...

[MrB]

There’s another way to pronounce it?

By the way, I think I saw that movie title when I wondered into the wrong section of the video rental store one day.

[swain_forkbeard]

Maybe yours. Not mine.

[swain_forkbeard]

Trudat.

I can’t wait until we begin discussing the mountains of Venus.

[Bean Counter]

[RoadTest]

Fascinating photo! I've never seen a square (90˚) corner like that in planetary striations. There are irregular ruts that look like the trails made by rolling balls. Fascinating and sharp picture.