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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-uranus-sideways

What is strange about the way Uranus spins?

It spins on its side, tipped nearly 90 degrees.

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  1. It does not spin at all
  2. It is tipped on its side ✔
  3. It spins once every 100 years

Why: Uranus rotates at nearly a 90 degree angle from the plane of its orbit. That makes it look like it rolls around the Sun like a ball, instead of spinning like a top.

Huh, didn't know that: Uranus was the first planet discovered with the help of a telescope.

The dad joke
Why does Uranus spin on its side? It is just taking a little nap.
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References

Answer: It is tipped on its side. Uranus rotates at nearly a 90 degree angle from the plane of its orbit. That makes it look like it rolls around the Sun like a ball, instead of spinning like a top.

  1. NASA Science: Uranus Facts science.nasa.gov/uranus/facts
    Uranus rotates at a nearly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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