Webb Maps Uranus’ Upper Atmosphere

What’s Happening

Breaking it down: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provided the first vertical view of Uranus’s ionosphere in this image dropped on Feb.

19, 2026, revealing auroras shaped by its tilted magnetic field. Getting a look at the structure of the region where the atmosphere interacts strongly with the planet’s magnetic field is giving us the most detailed portrait [] 1 min read Webb Maps Uranus’ Upper Atmosphere Monika Luabeya NASA Webb Telescope Team Feb 24, 2026 Image Article ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, P. (wild, right?)

Zamani (ESA/Webb) NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provided the first vertical view of Uranus’s ionosphere in this image dropped on Feb.

The Details

19, 2026, revealing auroras shaped magnetic field. Uranus has the strangest magnetosphere in the Solar System.

It is tilted and offset from the planet’s rotation axis (and this planet already rolls around the Sun nearly on its side), which means auroras move across the surface in complex ways. Better understanding Uranus will give us insight into ice-giant planets and help us better characterize giant planets outside our Solar System.

Why This Matters

Image credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, P.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

The Bottom Line

This story is still developing, and we’ll keep you updated as more info drops.

Thoughts? Drop them below.