Uranus aurorae (October 2022)

This visual showcases 3 images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope of the dynamic aurora on Uranus in October 2022. These observations were made by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph ( STIS ) and includes both visible and ultraviolet data.

An international team of astronomers used Hubble to make new measurements of Uranus' interior rotation rate by analysing more than a decade of the telescope’s observations of Uranus’ aurorae. This refinement of the planet’s rotation period achieved a level of accuracy 1000 times greater than previous estimates and serves as a crucial new reference point for future planetary research.

Image description

Image description: This visual shows three panels that each show Uranus and dynamic aurora activity. The images were captured in October 2022 on the 8th, 10, and 24th respectively. Each image shows a centred planet with a strong blue hue and a visible white region. A faint ring is also visible around the planet in each image. Each image shows fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet in different locations to indicate the aurorae.