Color Challenge – Green Thursday ~ Image No. 6: Uranus -- Really Cool Photographs Of Flowers From Various Planets Of Our Solar System ~

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A Schteinn Science Report - Circular~

Photographs taken by the Deep Space Explorer Satellite - MrPeabody IV. Designed and built by the Engineering Department of the Schteinn College Of The Sophisticated Sciences

~Uranus~

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Florasubmergusanguli liquidichydrogenaseae var. Uranusplantetoides

Common Name: Gaseous Sea Angling-Flower of Uranus

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Uranus - An Ice Giant

Welcome to the 6th planet in our series--Plants From Other Planets. Uranus is the sixth planet from the Sun, and the only planet named after a Greek Deity, Ouranos, rather than Roman.

Though similar in composition to our other solar system gas giants, Saturn and Jupiter, in that hydrogen and helium are common atmospheric components, Uranus is considered an ice giant, due to other differences in it's chemical makeup. The planet has the coldest atmosphere of any planet in our system, breaking the thermometer bulb at a chilly -224° C (-371° F), which freezes compounds such as water, ammonia, and methane. Hence the term 'ice planet'.

A Planet Only It's Mother Could Appreciate

Though some folks consider Uranus an outright boring planet, it is, in actuality, just a bit of an odd ball. Uranus orbits the Sun every 80 years, and does so at an 'off-kilter' tilt. The planet's axis of rotation is actually sideways, so that it spins in the same direction as it orbits the sun. The Urani north and south pole are located where the equator is found on Earth.

Very odd indeed. Common consensus in our field of Science is that something big ran into the planet at one time or another, and knocked it 'buns over teakettle' to its present orientation of spin.

Such A Kattywampus Spin

This odd orientation toward the Sun, means Uranus has a seasonal fluctuation that takes 20 years to complete. Both summer and winter last an incredible 20 years each. Talk about Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder ! There is a good chance being in total darkness, even for a few days, after a 20 year summer holiday, might dampen one's spirits a bit. Add in the fact you have another 19 years, 362 days to wait for warm, sunny weather, and there is a chance one might become a 'bit rummy' hanging out on this gas giant.

But What About The Plant?

The flower you see in this publication was collected by the auxiliary, planet-surface probe Sherm 128.2, and photographed once it returned to the Deep Space Explorer Satellite bay, which was then beamed back to us here on Earth.

The sample was scooped out of a liquid-hydrogen 'sea' on the surface of the planet, and appears to be some sort of stationary, sub-surface, liquid-gas-lake, hunting plant. Much like the insect-trapping Pitcher Plant or Venus Fly Trap of Earth. Only immersed in a liquid habitat. Interestingly, this flowering plant also possesses similar traits to some predatory fishes of the Earth's deep-ocean depths.

A Carnivorous Fishing Plant

Plant Traits: This specimen has a very intricate pattern of stripes along it's petals, much like certain flowers on Earth show when viewed in ultraviolet light. These patterns appear to be optical 'runways', enticing some sort of prey into the center of the flower, leading them to the gullet region of the flower. This throaty opening can be seen at the back center of the photo in light green.

Animal Traits: Note the clump of bright green tendrils in the center of the photo. These appear to be an angling device, waved about in the liquid-gas pond, to entice some sort of prey into the gullet region of the flower as well. This behavior is analogous to members of several groups of deep-sea angling fish found on Earth. These fishes of our oceans dangle and wiggle a part of their body -- think of a shiny bauble or lure on a post -- near the mouth region, to entice small fish to enter and be consumed.

What This All Means

We specialists at The Schteinn College of the Sophisticated Sciences have no idea what the prey item(s) are in this environs, though the two prey-enticing systems suggest more than one species of food may be at play here. Though unknown as to species, whatever this flower is eating, it must be somewhat large. The petals measure ~35 cm (14 inches) across, which is quite large, even for an exotic, animal-eating-under-gaseous-liquid-sea-plant of deep space.

Future Research

More landings should be attempted upon the surface of Uranus, and more samples attained from these areas. However, we are suggesting timeliness here, such as getting on this project soon, as it takes years for a probe to reach this far-off planet. We are hoping for further grants from the Society of American Fisherpeoples and various gardening clubs worldwide for assistance in this endeavor. Stay tuned for future developments.

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Botanical Summary/Comparisons

Closest Comparative Plant on Earth: Airborne pitcher plant, Venus fly-trap, though none are under-water species
Reproduction Methodology: UNKNOWN
Size Range: One Sample, 35 cm across. More samples needed
Life Span: UNKNOWN
Colorization: Shades of Emerald, Chartreuse, Kelly to Mint

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_{Poste Script: This image may have received "just a wee bit" of manipulation by the author, to get the colors "just right" for this particular Deep Science Project.}

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Seven Day Series -- Photos Of Cool Plants Of Our Solar System

Indigo Saturday -- Planet Mercury
Violet Sunday -- Planet Venus
Red Monday -- Planet Mars
Orange Tuesday -- Planet Jupiter
Yellow Wednesday -- Planet Venus

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[Official Science Press Credential Here]

_{A huge shout-out from the freelance Science Reporter's cardboard holler-horn goes out to the amazing @ocrdu for creating this marvy little identification credential for The Schteinn Science Report. Not only is it ultra-cool, but it allows me to poke about into databases and other places I'm probably not supposed to be. Though that IS the point of this on-the-edge, razor-sharp Science reportage.}

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