Did you know the planet Uranus was discovered on March 13, 1781? It was the first planet to be discovered since ancient times. British astronomer William Herschel discovered the 7th planet from the sun when looking for faint stars, also making it the first planet discovered with a telescope. Yet, at the time, it was thought to be a comet or star. It was not until 2 years later that, with the help of Johann Elert Bode’s observations, it was widely accepted as a planet.
What do you know about this ice giant? Test your knowledge using the quick quiz below, in honor of the anniversary of the planet’s discovery.
Take the Quiz:
Every month, you can test your knowledge of a planet, moon or star in our solar system during the Solar System Spotlight blog and quiz series. Next up in April: Earth!
Image:
Source: NASA/Space Telescope Science Institute
Published: December 11, 2009
This 2006 image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope shows bands and a new dark spot in Uranus' atmosphere.
Source: NASA.gov