A big space crash likely made Uranus lopsided
A simulation showing a grazing giant impact between a massive object and the young Uranus. Research led by Durham University, UK, confirms that a massive object roughly twice the size of Earth hit Uranus about 4 billion years ago and caused the planet s unusual tilt. The collision could explain Uranus freezing temperatures. The clock in the top left of the animation shows hours since the start of simulation. Credit: Jacob Kegerreis, Durham University
|
|