Uranus Heat Readings Contradict 40-Year-Old Voyager 2 Results

It’s been almost 40 years since Voyager 2 flew past Uranus, but its readings from that whistlestop flyby have remained some of the most important for how we understand the planet. But new data from a study at the University of Houston suggests that some of it might be wrong. Where the Voyager 2 readings suggested that Uranus didn’t have much in the way of internal heat, the latest research suggests that it emits notably more heat than it receives from the Sun. This could mean Uranus is still venting some of the heat built up during its long-ago creation.

Scientists looked at decades’ worth of data, combining reports and readings from various spacecraft and new computer modeling. The result was a claim that Uranus actually puts out 12.5% more heat than it receives from the sun. Although that remains far less than the heat output from other distant planets in our solar system, like Jupiter and Neptune, it’s significant enough to suggest a very different internal structure and evolutionary history.

“This means [Uranus is] still slowly losing leftover heat from its early history, a key piece of the puzzle that helps us understand its origins and how it has changed over time,” first author Xinyue Wang said in a statement.

Voyager 2 set off in August 1977, but didn’t pass Uranus until 1986.
Credit: NASA

In questioning why the original Voyager 2 data may have given us a false impression of the planet, it’s thought that the readings may have taken place during a particularly uncommon period of solar activity, skewing the results.

Regardless, researchers hope this will continue to cement the case for a mission to Uranus. Liming Li, the study’s co-author and a professor in UH’s Department of Physics, said her colleagues’ work would help inform such efforts, giving them a greater chance of success.

Alongside encouraging future Uranus missions, the team behind this study now believes they can leverage their methodology to analyze other planets within our solar system—and beyond. It may even help us develop new climate initiatives here on Earth.

“By uncovering how Uranus stores and loses heat, we gain valuable insights into the fundamental processes that shape planetary atmospheres, weather systems, and climate systems,” Li said. “These findings help broaden our perspective on Earth’s atmospheric system and the challenges of climate change.”

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