So i spent the holidays making this animation. Shown are the exact rotation periods & axial tilts of the eight largest planets in our solar system.
(NASA imagery was used)
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#planets #solarsystem #mercuryvenusearthmarsjupiteruranusneptune #spacepic.twitter.com/VDE3xNrpCI
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Excuse ignorance but why are Venus and Uranus not rotating clockwise?
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They're all anti-clockwise except for Venus. Something in the early solar system made Venus and Uranus special, it's likely they were bombarded by multiple objects, moving them into this odd configuration to this day
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Um Uranus rotates clockwise on its axis too. "Uranus is also one of just two planets that rotate in the opposite direction than most of the planets (Venus is the other one), from east to west."https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/uranus/in-depth/ …
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Uranus rotates in retrograde compared to the direction of its orbit (clockwise when observed from above). Earth would too if tilted 90.1 degrees. All of this is looking top down (earth north) on the solar system.
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This is so awesome!

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From a VFX artist that's quite the compliment!
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Count on me if I can ever be on any help, doctor 
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Love this! Thank you
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Awesome, Doc! -does this mean that Jupiter and Mercury don't have seasons? -what's up with Uranus? How did it wind up with such a funky axis?
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One more: since earth rotation is 23:56, how do we adjust for the missing 4 minutes? Seems like we'd be eating lunch at night after a while!
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Isn’t that the reason why we have an extra day every four years ?
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We have the extra day every 4 years because our orbit around the sun isn't exactly 365 days (closer to 365.25). I'm guessing the missing 4 min also has something to do with our advance around the sun and the result is an apparent 24 hr rotation.
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Great animation, thanks!
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So this thumb rule that nearer the planet to sun more the rotation period. Any explanation or pure coincidence here ????
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Would think it has something to do with tidal forces inflicted by the suns gravitational pull. But don't take my word for it, just my first thought....
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This is terrific. A well spent holiday, James.
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This is lovely, Dr. O'Donoghue. Thank you for the hard work.
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Amazing what a nice work.
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Day length (sidereal) & axial tilt for the 8 largest planets in our solar system!
Which planet best represents you?
HD Download for educators etc: