Which planet experiences a unique cycle of 42 years of continuous summer followed by 42 years of winter?
Saturn
Jupiter
Uranus
Neptune
Uranus experiences an extraordinary seasonal cycle, with each of its poles undergoing 42 years of continuous summer sunlight followed by 42 years of winter darkness. This phenomenon occurs because Uranus’s axis of rotation is tilted at an extreme angle of 98 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. As Uranus completes its 84-year orbit, one pole is pointed almost directly at the Sun for half of the journey, basking in uninterrupted sunlight, while the opposite pole remains in shadow, plunged into winter. When Uranus reaches the other half of its orbit, the roles reverse, with the opposite pole facing the Sun.
Correct Answer: Uranus