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 Scientists Want to Probe Uranus

Breaking news – scientists want to probe Uranus!  It's true: a committee of scientists recommended that a mission to Uranus should be NASA's highest priority planetary science mission in the next decade.

Jokes about Uranus are nothing new.  An 1881 article in Puck magazine purported to be a dialogue between a professor and a grizzled old 49er (gold miner) who had asked if a coming conjunction of the planets meant that the world was coming to an end.  The professor begins:

"On the 14th of May, Mercury comes into conjunction with the sun, and Uranus will be at right angles."

"My what will be at right angles?"

"Uranus."

"The hell!  Then I'll be in the grand bust up, sure."

A more recent example occurred in J.K. Rowling's book Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  The students are looking at the positions of the planets in their Divination class.  Lavender Brown, one of the students, squeals:

    “Oh Professor, look I think I’ve got an unaspected planet! Oooh, which one’s that, Professor?”

    “It is Uranus, my dear,” said Professor Trelawney, peering down at the chart.

    “Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?” said Ron.

    Most unfortunately, Professor Trelawney heard him, and it is this, perhaps, that made her give them so much homework at the end of class.

The planet Uranus was discovered by astronomer William Herschel in 1781.  He said "I can see Uranus."

(Photo: Dick Falcon in the 1960s)

Actually, that's not what he said.  It's what he should have said.  Above is what William Herschel and his telescope actually looked like.

But let's get back to the scientists recommending a probe of Uranus.

The mission is called the Uranus Orbiter and Probe.  The orbiter part of the mission would go around the rim of Uranus.

Then the second part would probe inside.

The probe will first penetrate the outer layer of Uranus ...

And then go deep inside.  Of course, the boys at NASA would have to test this over and over again.

What will happen when the scientists probe deep inside Uranus?  That question is answered in this video, which was a commercial for the Oslo Gay Festival in 2005.