X-ray emission on Uranus: The alarming discovery

The rings and (possibly) the aurora borealis have something to do with it. Here's NASA's latest startling discovery about one of the most mysterious and fascinating planets in the solar system: Uranus!

Uranus is the seventh planet in the solar system. It is a gas planet and has two sets of rings around the equator. Its diameter is four times the diameter of the Earth, and its peculiarity is that it rotates in the opposite direction compared to all other planets in the solar system. So far, the only probe that has come close to Uranus has been Voyager 2. With the help of modern space telescopes, astronomers have been able to understand something more about this cold and distant planet, which consists almost entirely of hydrogen and helium.

The disturbing discovery

According to a study, Uranus emits X-rays. This was discovered by comparing two observations made with the Chandra orbiting telescope in 2002 and 2017, which revealed a strong X-ray emission coming from the planet. But what could cause X-ray emission? Mainly the Sun. Scientists noticed that both Jupiter and Saturn scatter X-ray light from the Sun, much as Earth's atmosphere does with light from the Sun, and they predicted that most of the X-rays would also come from scattering. There is much evidence that at least one other source of X-rays exists.

Do rings emit x-rays?

One of the most reliable possibilities is this Saturn's rings It emits X-rays as in the case of Saturn. On the other hand, Uranus is surrounded by charged particles of electrons and protons. When these energetic particles come into contact with the rings, they emit radiation, making them glow. Another theory holds that the X-rays come from Uranus' auroras, which occur when highly charged particles interact with the atmosphere.

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