Uranus tilts sideways from ancient impacts
Uranus's extreme 98-degree tilt, making it roll sideways around the Sun, is believed to stem from massive ancient collisions that dramatically altered its rotation.
Uranus spins on its side, unlike most planets, with an extreme 98-degree tilt. This bizarre orientation is believed to be the result of a colossal collision with an Earth-sized object about 4.5 billion years ago. This ancient impact fundamentally reshaped the ice giant, knocking it over and redistributing its mass.
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