Rings around Uranus

Posted on September 22, 2011 | 4 Comments

We don’t often get to see images of Uranus – and certainly none like this.

Uranus and Miranda (Credit: Mike Brown/CalTech)

The astronomer Mike Brown took the photo a few days ago using one of the 10-meter twin telescopes at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii.

It’s an infrared image and clearly shows the rings which were discovered as recently as 1977. Several moons are also obvious – the brightest at top left being Miranda.

Mike Brown is the author of How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming. It tells the story of his work leading to the discovery of the then 10th planet. This was one of the factors leading to reclassification of planets and to Pluto’s demotion.

Thanks to Skymania: Now hotshot Mike grabs Uranus.

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4 responses to “Rings around Uranus”

  1. johnsonmike | September 22, 2011 at 6:26 pm |

    The 10th planet was Mondas, but it was destroyed in 1986.

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  2. Ken | September 23, 2011 at 5:07 pm |

    I was almost taken in by that comment Johnsonmike.

    But it’s a Dr Who story, isn’t it?

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  3. johnsonmike | September 26, 2011 at 12:22 pm |

    Yes, the Tenth Planet, from 1966. The very last William Hartnell story, and the first with the Cybermen, who came from Mondas, which was destroyed at the end of the story.

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  4. johnsonmike | September 26, 2011 at 12:24 pm |

    Ah, I should have added, that though the Tenth Planet was made in 1966, it was set in 1986…

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