Giant planet primarily consisting of compounds with freezing points exceeding 100°K
This article is about the type of planet. For other uses, see Ice giant (disambiguation).
Uranus photographed by Voyager 2 in January 1986
Neptune photographed by Voyager 2 in August 1989
An ice giant is a giant planet composed mainly of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. There are two ice giants in the Solar System: Uranus and Neptune.
In astrophysics and planetary science the term "ice" refers to volatile chemical compounds with freezing points above about 100 K, such as water, ammonia, or methane, with freezing points of 273 K (0°C), 195 K (−78°C), and 91 K (−182°C), respectively (see Volatiles). In the 1990s, it was determined that Uranus and Neptune were a distinct class of giant planet, separate from the other giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, which are gas giants predominantly composed of hydrogen and helium.[1]
As such, Neptune and Uranus are now referred to as ice giants. Lacking well-defined solid surfaces, they are primarily composed of gases and liquids. Their constituent compounds were solids when they were primarily incorporated into the planets during their formation, either directly in the form of ice or trapped in water ice. Today, very little of the water in Uranus and Neptune remains in the form of ice. Instead, water primarily exists as supercritical fluid at the temperatures and pressures within them.[2] Uranus and Neptune consist of only about 20% hydrogen and helium by mass, compared to the Solar System's gas giants, Jupiter and Saturn, which are more than 90% hydrogen and helium by mass.
^D'Angelo, G.; Weidenschilling, S. J.; Lissauer, J. J.; Bodenheimer, P. (2021). "Growth of Jupiter: Formation in disks of gas and solids and evolution to the present epoch". Icarus. 355: 114087. arXiv:2009.05575. Bibcode:2021Icar..35514087D. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114087. S2CID 221654962.
^Cite error: The named reference icegiantatmospheres was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
An icegiant is a giant planet composed mainly of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, such as oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur. There are two...
which have different compositions, as icegiants. Both names are potentially misleading; the Solar System's giant planets all consist primarily of fluids...
are referred to as "ices"). For this reason, Uranus and Neptune are now often classified in the separate category of icegiants. Jupiter and Saturn consist...
absorption spectra of ice XI was studied in 2009 in preparation for searches for ice XI in space. It is theorized that the icegiant planets Uranus and Neptune...
cyan-coloured icegiant. Most of the planet is made of water, ammonia, and methane in a supercritical phase of matter, which in astronomy is called 'ice' or volatiles...
the Nice model has the Solar System begin with five giant planets, including an additional icegiant, in a chain of mean-motion resonances. About 400 million...
third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times the mass of Earth, and slightly more massive than fellow icegiant Uranus. Neptune is denser and...
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between Saturn and the two icegiants, which propel Neptune and Uranus onto much more eccentric orbits. These icegiants then plough into the planetesimal...
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launched on a trajectory toward the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn and enabled further encounters with the icegiants Uranus and Neptune. It remains the only...
cryovolcanic magma consisting of water ice softened by its content of salts. The "icegiant" (sometimes known as "water giant") planets Uranus and Neptune are...
Odyssey, that would address many of the same scientific goals regarding icegiants was also considered, but for logistical and cost reasons a mission to...
an icegiant and Saturn that propels the icegiant onto a Jupiter-crossing orbit followed by an encounter with Jupiter that drives the icegiant outward...
"Revisiting the icegiants: NASA study considers Uranus and Neptune missions". Planetary Society. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2017. "IceGiant Mission Study...
logistical reasons the Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission was selected as the icegiant orbiter mission recommendation, with top priority ahead of the Enceladus...
An ice cream sandwich is a frozen dessert consisting of ice cream between two biscuits, wafers, cookies, or baked goods. The ingredients are different...
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trans-Neptunian object that is locked in a 2:3 orbital resonance with the icegiant Neptune, making two revolutions around the Sun to every three of Neptune's...
planets can migrate over long distances during or after their formation. Icegiants such as Uranus and Neptune are thought to be failed cores, which formed...
PMC 5380047. PMID 28289222. Hoganson, JW (2002). "Occurrence of the GiantIce Age Bison, Bison latifrons, in North Dakota" (PDF). NDGS Newsletter. 29...
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behind. A scenario for forming helium planets from regular giant planets involves an icegiant, in an orbit so close to its host star that the hydrogen...
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