'How Uranus fooled us all": 28 seconds that changed space science
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Time Twisted
A day on Uranus is actually 28 seconds longer than we thought—now clocked at 17 hours, 14 minutes, and 52 seconds. It’s not just trivia—it changes everything.
Precision Breakthrough
Using 11 years of Hubble data, scientists tracked glowing auroras to pin down Uranus’ rotation more precisely than ever before—beating even Jupiter’s record.
Voyager’s Gap
The 1986 Voyager 2 flyby gave us outdated data. For decades, scientists were calculating Uranus’ timing and poles on a skewed clock.
Pole Lost
With an inaccurate day length, Uranus’ magnetic poles literally drifted off the map. Scientists had no idea where they were after the ’90s.
Aurora Tracker
Ultraviolet auroras revealed the hidden poles. By mapping them over time, researchers could finally correct the planet’s clock—auroras became the key.
Sideways Spin
Uranus spins nearly on its side. Unlike other planets, its poles are almost in line with its orbit, complicating how we track its rotation.
Outer Mystery
Far beyond Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are faint, cold enigmas. With few missions reaching them, every data point is rare—and valuable.
Cosmic Domino
Getting Uranus right helps refine models of magnetic fields and rotations for all gas giants—unlocking new understanding of deep planetary interiors.
Mission Ready
This timing breakthrough sets the stage for future missions to Uranus. After nearly 40 years, we're finally back on time with the ice giant.