If intelligent beings from outside the solar system were to observe Neptune and Uranus, they might be prone to think that these are twin planets. And they wouldn't be completely wrong. These two share almost identical physical characteristics, especially now that we know Neptune is not actually as blue as we have been picturing it over the last few decades, but is, in fact, the same color as Uranus. However, upon closer inspection, perhaps one provided by our point of view from Earth, the two celestial objects present remarkable differences. Above all, they have different temperatures. This wouldn't be surprising, given that if you consider the Sun as a huge source of heat, the farther you move from it, the colder it gets. Following this reasoning, Neptune would be the coldest among the two, being the farthest. However, Uranus defies this law. It is indeed much colder than Neptune. How is this possible? Let's find out.

Similar Planets, Different Planets…
Neptune, residing as the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun, boasts a diameter of approximately 30,598 miles (49,244 kilometers), making it the fourthlargest planet. Its atmosphere, primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, exhibits a dynamic interplay of weather patterns, including the presence of the Great Dark Spot, akin to Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

The Atmospheric Factor
While the distance from the sun is a critical factor in determining the temperatures of the planets, the atmosphere likely plays an even more significant role. Visualize the atmosphere as a lid, and the planet as something you wish to cook. Using a minimal external heat source, you warm up your food. Now, consider the lid in place, but with holes.

The Internal Heat
Not only is the surface temperature low, but Uranus is also cold on the inside.
Unlike some other planets, it does not emit significant internal heat, making it challenging to precisely gauge its interior temperature. However, scientists use theoretical models and indirect observations to infer information about the planet's internal conditions.
The estimated internal temperature of Uranus is thought to be influenced by its formation and subsequent evolution.


More about Uranus
As I mentioned before, Voyager discovered something unusual within Uranus’s atmosphere. More precisely, it found something amiss with the planet’s clouds.
When it flew by, Voyager could only spot 10 different types of clouds floating around on Uranus. This is an incredibly low number, considering that clouds typically come in a wide variety.

More about Neptune
As for Neptune, its atmosphere boasts a blend primarily comprising hydrogen (about 80%), helium (around 19%), and a trace of methane (approximately 1.5%). This methane content imparts a captivating blue hue to Neptune's atmosphere, setting it apart from its planetary counterpart.


The Axial Tilt Factor
As you can understand, the main contribution to the temperature of these two planets directly comes from their atmospheres. But what about other factors?
Well, it turns out the tilt of a planet’s axis might influence its temperature.


A Different Solar System
As we briefly mentioned earlier, the extreme axial tilt of Uranus, where the planet essentially rotates on its side, is believed to have resulted from a significant impact on a massive object early in the solar system's history. This catastrophic collision likely occurred when Uranus was still in the process of forming, during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment.

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Credits: Ron Miller, Mark A. Garlick / MarkGarlick.com ,Elon Musk/SpaceX/ Flickr

00:00 Intro
1:10 Similar planets, different planets
3:30 The Atmospheric Factor
6:20 The Internal Heat
8:40 More about neptune
10:20 The Axial Tilt Factor

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