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Chapter 14: Problem 15

Briefly describe the evidence supporting the idea that Uranus was struck by a large planetlike object several billion years ago.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The evidence supporting the idea that Uranus was struck by a large planetlike object several billion years ago comes from its unique axial tilt of 98 degrees, its irregular magnetic field that's tilted and off-center, and the unusual orbits of its moons, which suggest they may have formed from a debris disk following a giant impact.

Step by step solution

01

Discuss Uranus's axial tilt

Uranus exhibits an unusual axial tilt, where its rotation axis is tilted by a remarkable 98 degrees with respect to its orbit around the sun. This means that it essentially spins on its side. One theory to explain this is that a large planetlike object collided with Uranus, knocking the planet onto its side.
02

Discuss Uranus's magnetic field

Another piece of evidence comes from the study of Uranus's magnetic field. Unlike other planets, Uranus's magnetic field is tilted and does not originate from its geometric center. These irregularities could be the result of a massive impact that significantly altered the planet's internal structure.
03

Discuss the orbits of Uranus’s moons

Uranus’s moons also offer clues about its history. The orbits of the moons suggest that they were formed from the debris left after the giant impact. The unusual orbits of some of Uranus's moons could also be explained by this impact, which could have disrupted their original orbits.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Use the Starry Night Enthusiast \({ }^{\text {TM }}\) program to examine the satellites of Uranus. (a) Select Solar System \(>\) Uranus from the Favourites menu. Remove the image of the astronaut's spacesuit by clicking on View \(>\) Feet in the menu and remove the background stars by selecting View \(>\) Stars \(>\) Stars from the menu. Use the Elevation buttons in the Viewing Location section of the toolbar to change the distance from the planet to about \(0.004\) AU. You should now be able to see at least five satellites of the planet Uranus. Which satellites are these? Select Label > Planets-Moons from the menu to confirm your identification of these satellites. (b) You can rotate the image of the planet and its moons by holding down the Shift key while clicking the mouse button and moving the mouse. Use this technique to rotate Uranus until you are looking at the plane of the satellites' orbits edge-on. Do all of the satellites appear to lie in the same plane? (To display the orbits of each of the moons, open the Find pane, expand the layer for Uranus, and click in the right-hand box next to each moon.) How do you imagine that this plane relates to the plane of Uranus's equator? Why do you suspect that this is so?

Separation of Pluto and Charon. Pluto is located about 4.5 billion km from Earth and has a maximum observable separation from Charon of about 0.9 arcseconds. Access the AIMM (Active Integrated Media Module) called “Small-Angle Toolbox” in Chapter 1 of the Universe Web site or eBook. Use this AIMM and the above data to determine the distance between Pluto and Charon. How does your answer compare with the value given in the text?

Would you expect the surfaces of Pluto and Charon to be heavily cratered? Explain why or why not.

Could astronomers in antiquity have seen Uranus? If so, why was it not recognized as a planet?

Describe the seasons on Uranus. In what ways are the Uranian seasons different from those on Earth?
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