First-Ever Infrared Aurora Confirmed on Uranus
Astronomers have observed Uranus' infrared aurora for the first time using archived data from the Keck II telescope. Similar to Earth's auroras, Uranus' auroras are caused by charged particles interacting with the planet's magnetic field. Unlike Earth, Uranus' auroras predominantly emit ultraviolet and infrared light due to the presence of hydrogen and helium in its atmosphere. The discovery could provide insights into the planet's temperature and the misalignment of its magnetic field with its rotational axis.