Uranus was originally called “George’s Star”.

 

Uranus was originally called “George’s Star”.

 

 

 his name was in honor of discoverer William Hershel’s new patron, King George III.

The name “Uranus” was proposed in 1782, one year after its discovery, but wasn’t officially used until 1850.

You may like these facts about when the planets in our solar system were discovered.

• Uranus is a strange ice giant, only visited by human technology once, in 1986 when the Voyager 2 spacecraft flew by, snapped some photos, and took some preliminary scientific measurements.
• National Science Foundation advised that NASA’s top planetary priority be a proper mission to explore Uranus. The mission is called for now, the Uranus Orbiter and Probe.
• It may help understand the cause of the planet’s sideways orbit – the reason why its poles point east to west rather than north to south – and its wonky magnetic field.

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In case you haven’t heard, we’re sending a probe to explore Uranus, so that we can all better understand what’s happening on the surface and deep inside.

I’ll give you a minute to stop laughing.

Everyone from NASA scientists to elementary school teachers knows that Uranus is the most giggle-inducing planet in our solar system. It’s right in the name, which most of us pronounce “your-anus,” despite the fact that a Greek scholar would tell you it should be “YUR-uh-nus.” That’s where most laypeople’s knowledge ends.