The Outer Planets: Uranus and Neptune

 Uranus is a cold ice giant with a pale blue-green color caused by methane gas in its atmosphere. It is unique because it rotates on its side, making it appear to roll around the Sun instead of spinning upright like most planets. Uranus has faint rings and many moons, each named after characters from literature. The planet is made mostly of ice, gas, and rock, and temperatures there are some of the coldest in the solar system. A single orbit around the Sun takes Uranus about 84 Earth years.

Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun and is known for its deep blue color and extremely powerful winds. It is another ice giant and has a thick atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen, helium, and methane. Neptune experiences huge storms, including dark spots similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot. The planet has several moons, with Triton being the largest and one of the coldest objects in the solar system. Because Neptune is so far from the Sun, one year on Neptune lasts about 165 Earth years.