The Atmosphere Of Uranus Contains “ices”
Neptune is pretty... ordinary in comparison to Jupiter and Uranus. The violent and tumultuous nature of Jupiter and Saturn's atmospheres is evident when one observes the swirling clouds and eddies that run across their surfaces. In contrast, Uranus appears as a pale, homogeneous shade of blue. However, newer telescopes that can observe planets in other wavelengths (such as infrared) and the Voyager 2 spacecraft's flyby have made several important discoveries possible.
For instance, the atmosphere of Uranus has strong zonal winds that can reach speeds of up to 250 m/s (900 km/h, 560 mph) and produce anticyclonic storms similar to Jupiter's Great Red Spot (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Spot"). It also includes different cloud patterns in the two hemispheres, some of which last for only a few hours and others of which can last for years or even decades.
The presence of some "ices" in Uranus' atmosphere, though, is possibly the most intriguing discovery. Methane (CH), which is responsible for Uranus' aquamarine color, is the third-most prevalent element in the planet's atmosphere. Other hydrocarbons, including as ethane, acetylene, methylacetylene, and diacetelyne, are also present in trace amounts and are thought to have been produced as a result of methane's interaction with solar ultraviolet radiation (aka. photolysis).
The layers of Uranus' atmosphere also contain verified traces of water, ammonia, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide. The phrase "ice giant" refers to the fact that they are suspended in an icy state as a result of the great cold.
