Astronomical perceptions about the colors of the planets Neptune and Uranus have been called into question by recent research led by UK astronomers. Previous images from a space mission in the 1980s had depicted Neptune as a rich blue and Uranus as green. However, a study conducted by Professor Patrick Irwin from the University of Oxford has revealed that both ice giant planets are actually closer in color than previously believed.
The images captured during the Voyager 2 mission, which conducted flybys of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989, led to the belief that Uranus appeared to be a pale cyan color, while Neptune was depicted as a striking deep blue. These images were created by combining single-color images captured by Voyager 2. It has now been discovered that the earlier images of Neptune had been enhanced to show the white clouds and winds of the planet’s atmosphere, altering its true color.
Professor Irwin’s research, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, has confirmed the correct shades of the planets, revealing that both Neptune and Uranus are similar shades of greenish blue. According to Professor Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland and astrophysics professor at the University of Edinburgh, the earlier images of Neptune had been manipulated to enhance the details of the planet’s atmosphere, a common practice even among enthusiasts on social media platforms like Instagram.
This revelation challenges the long-held perceptions of the colors of these ice giant planets and provides valuable insights into the true nature of these distant celestial bodies. The findings of this study open new avenues for a deeper understanding of the outer edges of our solar system and the unique characteristics of Neptune and Uranus.
