HUBBLE ATLAS
Uranus Aurorae Image Trio (October 2022) — image from the Hubble Space Telescope

Solar System

Uranus Aurorae Image Trio (October 2022)

April 9, 2025 · NASA

Zoom to full resolution Original on NASA ↗

These images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope showcase 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 analyzing 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.

About the data

GO #12601, 13012, 14036, 16313 and DDT #15380 (PI: L. Lamy)