When Voyager 2 returned its first close-up images of Uranus in early 1986, they epitomised with crystalline perfection the extent of scientists’ knowledge about this strange, aquamarine world. They revealed a bland, featureless place, 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometres) from the Earth, with very little visible atmospheric activity. Discovered two centuries earlier by William Herschel, Uranus had not only remained consigned to the fringes of the Solar System, but also lay at the periphery of human knowledge. Its physical appearance, its five large satellites – seen only as distant specks in even the best photographs acquired from the Earth – and whatever bizarre conditions prevailed in its deep, cold atmosphere were a virtual blank before 1986. Although much has been learned in the decades since, it was the remarkable encounter of Voyager 2 which shed new light on a world which Herschel wanted to name in honour of King George III: ‘Georgium Sidus’, or ‘George’s Star’.
Bullseye Uranus
Springer Praxis Books(formerly: Springer-Praxis Series)
2022-08-24
23 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
NTRS | 1970
Bullseye: A Leakproof Search Strategy for Space Domain Awareness
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2022
|NTRS | 1986
|AIAA | 1986
|NTIS | 1984
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