NASA Has Plans to Probe Uranus

We are sending a probe to explore Uranus so that we can better understand what is happening on the surface.

I want you to stop laughing for a second.

Everyone knows that Uranus is the funniest planet in the solar system. Despite the fact that a Greek scholar would tell you it should be "YUR-uh-nus", it is correct in the name. Most people end their knowledge at that point. The ice giant has only been visited by human technology once before, in 1986 when the Voyager 2 spacecraft flew by and snapped some photos. It is the most cold planet in the solar system with some of the fastest winds and is surrounded by a red ring. There are clumps of water and ammonia beneath the upper atmosphere of Uranus. There is a lot of stuff on the planet Uranus.

I want to apologize. Don't worry, just stay in there.

As part of the National Science Foundation's Decadal survey, the NSF advised that NASA's top planetary priority be a proper mission to explore Uranus. There is a mission called for now. The scientists are happy that NASA decided to investigate.

Don't leave me alone.

It wasn't always going to be called that. When astronomer William Hershel discovered the planet in 1781, he wanted to call it George's Star after King George III. The god of the heavens, Caelus, should be the father of this new planet since he was the father of Jupiter.

Caelus is the only planet in our solar system that jumped pantheons and was used by Bode. It would have been a pretty good prank if Bode had chosen it.

The giggle factor could be making it harder to study. I asked Paul if he would teach about the planet in his classes. The name is the first thing people think of when they hear it. Even with a funny name, people are talking about the planet. It isn't much of a challenge to say "did you know Uranus smells of farts?", which will make people laugh, but now you're talking about atmospheric composition..."

The name is definitely a distraction, according to a scientist who has been studying the outer planets. I tried to explain the pronunciation of the planets. I realized that the wordurinous was a lost cause after learning it. When I talk about Uranus, I try to get over it as soon as possible, by telling a bunch of jokes and laughing.

Some people think about anuses if they stick with the correct pronunciation. Even YUR-uh-nus isn't right. The pronunciation of the spelling seems to have followed the Latinization of it. In keeping with tradition our seventh planet should be Ouranos, pronounced like "ore-AN-ose", which would not lend itself to such laughter.

One of the most interesting planets in the solar system is Uranus. The sulfur dioxide in the air causes the planet to smell farts. If we go even deeper, the pressure is so high that it can break up methane and create diamonds. It is raining diamonds deep inside the planet.

We will know a lot more about the workings of the planet soon. Projects like this can take a long time to get off the ground. He said, "I am not holding out much hope of my lasting until it arrives at the Uranus system and I will continue to go to the gym and eat my Wheaties!" She is aware that this science is more than just for her eyes. The next generation of planetary scientists will be amazed by the discoveries of the Uranus system.

The reason why the planet's poles point east to west is due to its magnetic field. Scientists hope to find out what is happening below the ocean.

Scientists and the rest of us have been waiting for NASA to take us back to the unexplored regions of mysterious moons, icy volcanoes, bizarre plumes, and a stinky tilted teal planet with an unfair reputation. We can finally look forward to exploring Uranus together, because every world in the solar system deserves its own purpose.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.