NASA's Webb Rings in the Holidays with the Ringed Planet Uranus

When Voyager 2 flew past Uranus in 1986, the planet appeared to be a nearly featureless, solid blue ball. Now, Webb shows us an infrared view that is much more dynamic and intriguing. Rings, moons, storms, and a bright, north polar cap grace these new images. Because Uranus is tipped on its side, the polar cap appears to become more prominent as the planet’s pole points towards the Sun and receives more sunlight — a time called solstice. Uranus reaches its next solstice in 2028, and astronomers will watch for changes in the planet’s atmosphere. Studying this ice giant can help astronomers understand the formation and meteorology of similarly sized planets around other suns.