Solar Storms Altered Uranus Data for Decades

Recent studies have unveiled that the data collected by NASA's Voyager 2 during its 1986 flyby of Uranus was influenced by a rare solar wind event, which skewed scientists' understanding of the planet for decades. The solar storm compressed Uranus's magnetosphere by 80%, creating unusual magnetic conditions only present about 4% of the time, which led to misleading observations about the planet's magnetic field and radiation belts. This has led researchers to reconsider previous assumptions about Uranus's moons, which might possess subsurface oceans capable of supporting life. The findings suggest that the planet's magnetosphere is more dynamic and similar to other gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. These revelations have increased interest in a new mission to Uranus to gather more accurate and comprehensive data. The study highlights the importance of timing in space exploration, as different conditions can dramatically alter scientific interpretations.