You'd be surprised what's been discovered in and around Uranus.
The year was 1977. Uranus was just the seventh planet from the Sun. It didn't feel particularly special. Then, on March 10, proctologists astronomers James L. Elliot, Edward W. Dunham, and Douglas J. Mink discovered rings around Uranus, and changed the course of human history forever. OK, maybe not, but in honor of this scientific discovery, which helped us better understand the Solar System, Complex wipes downruns down details 10 things found around Uranus. Read on to get all up in it!
SUN & FUN
• With a mean axial tilt of 97.77 degrees (despite our lead image, the planet actually rotates on its side), Uranus' two poles (ayo!) take turns experiencing 42 years of continuous sunlight. The one without the shine would complain, but plunging into darkness for four decades years ain't all that bad either.
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PAUL WALL
• Where did you think the People's Champ learned about sittin' sideways?
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FREEZING COLD
• With a minimum temperature of -371.2 °F, Uranus is the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System. Word is the "Ice Giant" once slapped the shit out of Iceberg Slim over a nickel. Now that's cold.
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WILLIAM HERSCHEL
• Although others had spotted it before him, astronomer Herschel "discovered" the planet, which he thought was a comet, 229 years ago, on March 13, 1781. But hey, when we get up in Uranus, we try to convince ourselves we're the first to have seen it too.
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SUSPICIOUS SUBSTANCES
• Ice. Methane. Rock. Clouds. We're not saying Uranus has a drug problem, but with substances like these, we wouldn't let it in our house.
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RINGS
• Somebody liked it, so they put a ring on it. Thirteen planetary rings to be exact. Guess Jay doesn't love you that much, now does he, Beyoncé?
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MOONS
• Uranus is orbited by numerous moons. No, seriously.
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SEYMORE BUTTS
• The Bronx's own Jewish porn auteur (Gapes of Wrath, Poetic Just-Ass, "T" for Tushy) has always been fascinated by ass-tronomy. Word to his 2004 sci-fi masterpiece Uranus or Bust.
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SKID MARKS
• Hey, who has eight extra quarters for the laundromat in this economy?
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CLING-ONS
• Sorry, that was supposed to be Klingons. Not that either is any less of an ass-wipe.
