NASA releases new images of Uranus that could unravel the mystery surrounding the planet Science and technology news

NASA has released stunning new images of Uranus that could help unravel a mysterious feature of the planet.

The images, taken with NASA James Webb Space Telescopeshow the planet’s rings in more detail than ever before.

Although the rings were captured in earlier images, these are said to be much clearer.

The images, which also include a wider exposure showing Uranus and its 27 known moons, could help solve a mystery surrounding the ice giant, according to NASA.

That’s because they show Uranus’ polar cap, scientists say.

NASA commented on the photo: “On the right side of the planet there is an area of ​​brightening at the pole, facing the Sun, known as the polar cap.

“This polar cap is unique to Uranus – it appears to appear when the pole enters direct sunlight in summer and disappear in the fall.

“The Webb data will help scientists understand the currently mysterious mechanism.”

‘Unique’ planet

Uranus is unique because it rotates on its side at an angle of about 90 degrees from the plane of its orbit, NASA says.

This leads to extreme seasons, as the planet’s poles experience many years of constant sunlight, followed by an equal number of years of complete darkness.

Uranus takes 84 years to orbit the sun.

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The new images of the planet come from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured Neptune’s rings in the infrared for the first timeshowing seven of Neptune’s 14 moons.

The new telescope was launched in December 2021 and experts hope to look back at when time began Stars and galaxies formed.

It is the world’s largest and most powerful telescope, hovering about 930,000 miles above us.