| Uranus |
File Format: Full colour 1024x512 JPG file, 34K. Radius (1 km = 1 POV unit): 25,559 km NOTES: This Uranus map is somewhat greener than David Seal's version - while David's might actually be more realistic, this map should appeal to those (like me) who still like to think that Uranus is greenish ;). Uranus's ring system is much like Jupiter's in that it is extremely faint - the rings themselves are darker than charcoal, and they are also extremely thin! As such, there is absolutely no way they will be visible in a rendering unless they are greatly enhanced (or you can figure out a way to make dust between the rings visible by back-lighting, which I can't!). If you render them, I suggest using discs with the following properties. An appropriate texture for all of the rings is pigment {color Grey filter 0.6} finish {ambient 1.0}:
5 ring: Inner radius 42,300 km; Outer radius 42,305 km. 4 ring: Inner radius 42,600 km; Outer radius 42,610 km. a ring: Inner radius 44,800 km; Outer radius 44,807 km. b ring: Inner radius 45,700 km; Outer radius 45,708 km. eta ring: Inner radius 47,200 km; Outer radius 47,260 km. gamma ring: Inner radius 47,700 km; Outer radius 47,710 km. delta ring: Inner radius 48,300 km; Outer radius 48,310 km. epsilon ring (outermost): Inner radius 51,200 km; Outer radius 51,300 km. Also note that the rings should be tipped, along with the planet itself, at an angle of 98° to the vertical. The easiest way is to create an object that is a union of all the ring discs and the planet sphere itself, and then rotate all of that by 98° around the x or z-axis (depending on the direction you're viewing from). However, note that the same face of Uranus does not always point towards the sun throughout its year - instead, the rotational axis is always pointing in the same direction in space such that the sun is overhead at each pole once per Uranian year (the equatorial region has the sun overhead between these periods). uranus.jpg (click to download) |