According to a new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, Uranus is found to be reflecting X-rays. Finding the X-rays is significant because they have been detected in other planets of the solar system but not in the Uranus and the Neptune yet.
Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun. The scientists, during the study, compared observations of the Chandra Space Telescope, which is managed by Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Centre dating back to 2002 and 2017.
The study, which analysed two visuals of the planet, has marked the first time that such X-ray activities have been discovered on the planet. But the reason behind the reflection of that kind of rays has not yet been clear.
According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), if further observations confirm this, it could have a new source for understanding Uranus in a new way. Earlier, NASA had said while the authors of the new Uranus studied initially, they had expected that most of the X-rays detected would also be from scattering, there were tormenting hints that at least one other source of X-rays was present.
One of the two convincing reasons, as scientists say, for the emission of X-rays could be the Sun which has a similar effect on planets like Jupiter and Saturn that scatter the X-ray light which is given by the Sun.
And the second reason for that X-ray emission might be the Uranus’ rings, which could, themselves, produce the rays when the rings collide with charged particles that causes them to glow in X-rays.
As mentioned by the scientists of the team, the study of the X-ray emission could provide more information about the characteristics of the Uranus and its composition.