Seven fun facts about Uranus to read aloud to your friends

People don’t talk about Uranus enough. It’s too bad, because Uranus is an interesting place. Let’s uncover seven fun facts about Uranus that you can enjoy reading aloud to your friends and family.

1. Uranus contains methane gas. Methane gas makes Uranus appear blue. Uranus also contains a lot of hydrogen and helium.

2. Even though Uranus is filled with gas, it’s not a gas giant. Uranus is far from the sun, so it’s very cold. That’s why we call Uranus an ice giant.

3. Uranus is 31,518 miles wide. That makes Uranus is bigger than Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars combined!

4. Uranus spins on its side. Scientists believe something big hit Uranus a long time ago. This could have knocked Uranus off its vertical spin.

5. Uranus has 27 moons. That’s not as many moons as Jupiter, but Uranus still has nine times as many moons as the four inner planets.

6. William Herschel first discovered Uranus in 1781. It's so far away, you can’t see Uranus without a telescope.

7. While most planets were named after Roman Gods, Uranus was named after the Greek god of the sky. Uranus is the father of Cronus — Saturn — and the grandfather of Zeus — Jupiter.

Many people pronounce Uranus as “Your Anus.” However, the correct pronunciation is more like “Urine Us” or “You’re a Nuss.”

Any way you pronounce this cold blue planet: it’s a fun word to say out loud. Be sure to share what you’ve learned about Uranus with friends and family.

How do you pronounce Uranus?