British astronomers from the University of Oxford have conducted research on Uranus and Neptune, the two furthest planets in the Solar System. Their results are surprising, as it turns out that these two planets do not differ in color as much as previously thought.
Many of us, based on images from space missions in the 1980s, had the impression that Uranus is greenish and Neptune is blue. However, research conducted by astronomers has discovered that both gas giants have a greenish-blue hue. It turns out that the color of Neptune has been slightly modified to highlight the details of the planet’s atmosphere. Therefore, the image of Neptune looks very blue, but in reality, it resembles the color of Uranus.
The research leader, Patrick Irwin, emphasizes that this is not a conspiracy or intentional action, but rather a retouching technique that is standard for space photographs. The researchers knew that the colors had been artificially enhanced, but over time, this information was omitted from the photo captions.
Analysis conducted after the Voyager 2 spacecraft mission in the 1980s showed that the shades of Uranus and Neptune are similar, although Neptune is slightly bluer due to its thinner layer of haze. Uranus, on the other hand, tends to take on a greener color in the summer and winter when one of its poles is facing the Sun. In spring and autumn, when the Sun is located at the equator, Uranus appears more blue.
This discovery gives us a new insight into the colors of the furthest planets in the Solar System. It demonstrates the importance of conducting research and analyzing available data, even when it comes to something as seemingly simple as the colors of planets.
What did the British astronomers discover?
The source of the article is from the blog mivalle.net.ar