January 24, 2024
On this date in 1986, Voyager 2 successfully completed a flyby of Uranus at 9:59 PST where it came within 50,600 miles of the uppermost atmosphere. In addition to sending back images of Uranus and its moons, Voyager 2 used several scientific instruments to provide new data on the ring system, complex magnetic field, and atmosphere of the planet. Most recently, Uranus has been photographed by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The JWST is only the third telescope to image Uranus’ faint rings.
The newest image of Uranus, taken by JWST’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on February 6, 2023. The image shows both the rings of Uranus, as well as the planet’s northern polar cap. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Joseph DePasquale (STScI)