This is an image of Uranus.
Click on image for full size
Image from: NASA
The mesosphere of Uranus is a region of balance between warming and cooling. That essentially means that nothing happens there. Except for diffusion
, the atmosphere is still. Upper reaches of the atmosphere, such as the mesosphere, can sometimes be detected by looking at the limb of a planet, as shown in this image. Unfortunately, nothing of the mesosphere can be seen in this image. For a picture showing how the temperature changes in the mesosphere, click here
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Diffusion means the slow motion of molecules from one place to another. As solid as a pane of glass can seem, molecules of air can easily pass through the glass. This can readily be noticed on a cold winter...more
This is the temperature profile of Uranus' mesosphere. The temperature is the same at all heights until the mesopause, or "top" of the mesosphere is reached. As shown in the figure, the mesopause is placed...more
As on Earth, the atmosphere of Uranus consists of a troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. The troposphere is the region where the visible clouds are to be found. The stratosphere, as...more
Besides methane, Uranus' atmosphere contains even more complex molecules such as ethane gas. (These gases are similar to the exhaust gases that come out of cars on earth). These molecules form layers of...more
The mesosphere of Uranus is a region of balance between warming and cooling. That essentially means that nothing happens there. Except for diffusion, the atmosphere is still. Upper reaches of the atmosphere,...more
On Uranus, as on Jupiter, the winds in the belts and zones blow first in one direction, then in the opposite direction. Wind blows east in a belt, and west in a zone. The clouds rise up in a belt, and...more
The clouds on Uranus, like Jupiter, are divided into belts and zones. On Uranus the belts and zones are hard to find. The left picture shows the north pole of Uranus. In this picture only the smog of...more