This is an image of Uranus.
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Image from: NASA

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What is a Mesosphere?

Return to Uranus' Atmosphere

Uranus' Mesosphere

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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Uranus' Mesosphere Temperature Profile

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

An Overview of Uranus' Atmospheric Structure

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

Uranus' Atmospheric Hazes

Besides methane, Uranus' atmosphere contains more sophisticated atmospheric molecules such as ethane gas, acetylene, and diacetylene. All these molecules form layers of haze at different altitudes high...more

Uranus' Mesosphere

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

Altitude Variations of the Belts & Zones

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

Why Uranus looks like a "bullseye"

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Uranus Clouds, Overview

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