Planetary Rings of Uranus ‘Glow’ in Cold Light

10 May, 2021 / Read time: 1 minute

This video presents the results of observations made by an international scientific team using ALMA and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to observe the seventh planet of our solar system.

The rings of Uranus are thin and opaque to our eyes, but the images captured by the telescopes at millimeter and mid-infrared wavelengths show a surprising brightness that makes them clearly visible.

These images allowed the scientific team to measure for the first time their temperature (around -196℃), which will allow a more detailed study of the small particles that compose them. Thus, it will be possible to get a better idea of how and when each of this planet's rings were formed.

Credits: National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)