Question

What are the seasons like on Uranus?

a. During the summer and the winter, the Sun is located near the celestial pole and will rise and set. At mid-season the Sun rises and sets with a period equal to the rotation period.

b. During the summer, the Sun is located near a celestial pole, and it would never rise or set. The winter is completely dark; at mid-season the Sun rises and sets with the rotation of the planet.

c. During the summer, the Sun is located near the celestial equator and never sets. The winter is completely dark; at mid-season the Sun rises and sets at the celestial poles with a period equal to the rotation period.

d. During the summer and the winter, the Sun is located near the celestial equator and never sets. At mid-season the Sun rises and sets at the celestial poles with a period equal to the rotation period.

Answer 1

Ans: (b) During the summer, the Sun is located near a celestial pole, and it would never rise or set. The winter is completely dark; at mid-season the Sun rises and sets with the rotation of the planet.

Earth has a midnight sun in summer at its poles, and a long polar night in winter. But those dark and bright times at Earth’s poles affect a smaller part of our planet, and don’t last nearly as long as they do on Uranus. For two 21-year seasons on Uranus – the winter-summer seasons – the poles of Uranus are pointed (more or less) either toward the sun, or away from it.

During Uranus’ winter-summer season, the winter side of the planet never sees the sun. It doesn’t see the sun for 21 long years. Meanwhile, the summer side of the planet has continuous daylight.

That’s a long polar night, and a long midnight sun!