Due to the unique tilt and lengthy orbit of Uranus, the seasonal cycle is unlike any other planet we've studied. Seasons on Uranus are defined by its extreme axial tilt paired with its long orbit.
Each of Uranus's seasons spans approximately 21 Earth years. When it's summer at one pole, it's winter at the opposite pole, and these conditions maintain throughout the polar stay of daylight or darkness for each 42 Earth years segment.
- These prolonged exposure periods arise because of the planet's alignment with the Sun. They make its seasonal shifts starkly pronounced.
- Regions near the polar areas experience prolonged daylight for over two decades, followed by a similar period of continuous night.
In a sense, the seasonal cycle on Uranus renders its rotation nearly inconsequential for inhabitants, as the day-to-night transition is overshadowed by the prolonged seasons.