Raining Diamonds On Uranus!
Gas Giant Uranus has a most distinctive weather condition: It rains massive amounts of huge diamonds!
Scientists suspected for some time that the intense pressure in the atmosphere of Uranus could result in diamond rain, but confirming it proved to be difficult.
However, researchers at Stanford University's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have now succeeded in simulating conditions on Uranus, and have observed this amazing weather phenomenon for themselves.
The diamonds observed during the experiment were very small, but on Uranus, they say, it is likely that the diamonds falling from the sky are gigantic, and perhaps up to a few million carats in size!
The diamonds either melt down into a sea of molten diamonds, or remain solid and form a layer of diamonds around Uranus's core.
Someday, we may be able to mine Uranus for diamonds! Just imagine a planet whose core is encrusted with giant diamonds!
Of course, you'd need a spacesuit that could withstand temperatures of -357 degrees Fahrenheit, and also protect you not only from the predominately hydrogen and helium gasses of the outer atmosphere, but the presence of methane near the planet's interior, where you would be spending most of your time, in order to mine the diamonds.
(Other gas giants in our solar system are Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune)
(Tech Times)
Imagine, instead of diamonds raining ON Uranus, if you could just get diamonds to rain FROM...well, you know.
(Might be a follow-up song there, to Paul Simon's 1986 hit, "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes.")
Recent Comments
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Good afternoon Rick,
It is now obvious I was born at the wrong time. Ok, I will come back in 1000 years when we are capable of flying there in a whiffy.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
We could put ourselves in cryogenic suspension, Taetske, and then go mine some diamonds! :)
I have always loved rock hunting. On the trip in March to Portugal found a most amazing fossil just lying in the sand. When I was a small girl in Holland my Mother taught me what to look for and now have a small collection of interesting stone found during my life.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
I had to send you these from my trip to Portugal. Layer upon layer of pressed shells many million years old. Too hard to just hack off a piece but I tried. This beauty, now on my window sill, as big as the palm of your hand.
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Being not a typical woman (quite indifferent to gold and diamonds), I wouldn't mind watching diamond rain!....You don't stop surprising me, Rick.:)))
Rick - Very interesting science news. I just need to keep this information away from my wife. Next thing I know I'll be spending the weekend shopping for space suits that can withstand subzero temperatures and making travel plans to the outer solar system. I really can't afford it, I've got work to do. :-)
That actually looks like Neptune Rick, Wouldn't the diamonds be ice crystals at that distance just like the water ice "rocks" on Titan which is further inward? But now we know where Lucy in the Sky has gone!! Beautiful sparklers!
It's Uranus, Mike, the blue color results from the methane gas. "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds..." :)
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Cosmic, my first thought was diamonds on Uranus would be very painful when you sit down. There's a bit of clowning for the day!
Ouch! You got that right, Helen! :)