ÿþ<!doctype html> <html> <head> <title> APOD: 2026 March 12  A Near-Full Rotation of Uranus </title> <!-- gsfc meta tags --> <meta name="orgcode" content="661"> <meta name="rno" content="amber.n.straughn"> <meta name="content-owner" content="Jerry.T.Bonnell.1"> <meta name="webmaster" content="michael.arida"> <meta name="description" content="A different astronomy and space science related image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation."> <!-- --> <meta name=viewport content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="keywords" content="Uranus,aurora,JWST"> <!-- --> <!--#include virtual="apheader_includes.html"--> </script> </head> <body BGCOLOR="#F4F4FF" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" vlink="#7F0F9F" alink="#FF0000"> <center> <h1> Astronomy Picture of the Day </h1> <p> <a href="archivepix.html">Discover the cosmos!</a> Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. <p> 2026 March 12 <br> <iframe width="900" height="500" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3jsn1829OPw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> </center> <center> <b> A Near-Full Rotation of Uranus </b> <br> <b> Video Credit: </b> ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, P. Tiranti, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb) <br> <b>Text:</b> <a href="https://kerockcliffe.com/">Keighley Rockcliffe</a> (<a href="https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe">NASA</a> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/">GSFC</a>, <a href="https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/">UMBC CSST</a>, <a href="https://cresst2.umd.edu/">CRESST II</a>) </center> <p> <b> Explanation: </b> <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb/Webb_maps_Uranus_s_mysterious_upper_atmosphere">For the first time</a> we are witnessing outer planet <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/uranus/">Uranus</a> take center stage and <a href="https://tenor.com/kkzN22NnPWc.gif">pirouette</a>. Uranus is one of the Solar System s strangest planets, <a href="ap250914.html">laying on its side</a> and spinning like a <a href="https://tinyurl.com/rotisserie-chicken">rotisserie chicken</a>. The featured video is composed of over 1000 <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/science-overview/science-explainers/spectroscopy-101-types-of-spectra-and-spectroscopy/">spectra</a> taken over 15 hours of continuous viewing by <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/nirspec/">JWST's NIRSpec instrument</a> while Uranus rotates. The data captures the behavior of Uranus s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/planetary-ionosphere">ionosphere</a>: the ionized layer of a planet s atmosphere that strongly interacts with <a href="https://astrobites.org/2020/12/11/a-tour-of-solar-system-magnetospheres/">the planet's magnetic field</a>. The aurora s rosy glow traces the complex interplay between <a href="https://www.planetary.org/space-images/the-magnetic-fields-of-uranus-and-neptune">Uranus's misaligned rotation and magnetic axes</a>. Clouds can be seen as bright spots traveling across the ice giant. The blue-to-red colors represent low-to-high altitudes, showing <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL119304">a brand new three-dimensional view</a> into how energy is distributed throughout the planet s atmosphere. In the image on the left, everything is framed by <a href="ap971126.html">the rings of Uranus</a>. This is the most detailed look into the atmosphere of Uranus achieved yet! <p> <center> <b> Almost Hyperspace: </b> <a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/random_apod.html">Random APOD Generator</a> <br> <b> Tomorrow's picture: </b><a href="ap260313.html">happy trails</a> <p> <hr> <a href="ap260311.html">&lt;</a> | <a href="archivepix.html">Archive</a> | <a href="lib/apsubmit2015.html">Submissions</a> | <a href="lib/aptree.html">Index</a> | <a href="https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search">Search</a> | <a href="calendar/allyears.html">Calendar</a> | <a href="https://apod.com/feed.rss">RSS</a> | <a href="lib/edlinks.html">Education</a> | <a href="lib/about_apod.html">About APOD</a> | <a href= "https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260312">Discuss</a> | <a href="ap260313.html">&gt;</a> <hr><p> <b> Authors & editors: </b> <a href="http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html">Robert Nemiroff</a> (<a href="http://www.phy.mtu.edu/">MTU</a>) & <a href="https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html" >Jerry Bonnell</a> (<a href="http://www.astro.umd.edu/">UMCP</a>)<br> <b>NASA Official: </b> Amber Straughn <a href="lib/about_apod.html#srapply">Specific rights apply</a>.<br> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html">NASA Web Privacy</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/">Accessibility</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/">Notices</a>; <br> <b>A service of:</b> <a href="https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/">ASD</a> at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> / <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/">GSFC</a>, <br> <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/learners">NASA Science Activation</a> <br><b>&</b> <a href="http://www.mtu.edu/">Michigan Tech. 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