Uranus atmospheric changes while slowly reaching the Summer Solsticedaenel OP t1_jdoi0on wrote
"As seen in 2022, Uranus’s north pole shows a thickened photochemical haze that looks similar to the smog over cities. Several little storms can be seen near the edge of the polar haze boundary. Hubble has been tracking the size and brightness of the north polar cap and it continues to get brighter year after year. Astronomers are disentangling multiple effects — from atmospheric circulation, particle properties, and chemical processes — that control how the atmospheric polar cap changes with the seasons. At the Uranian equinox in 2007, neither pole was particularly bright. As the northern summer solstice approaches in 2028 the cap may grow brighter still, and will be aimed directly toward Earth, allowing good views of the rings and the north pole; the ring system will then appear face-on. This image was taken on 10 November 2022."
[deleted] t1_jdoihat wrote
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Nulovka t1_jdrdztf wrote
The white area appears to be getting brighter because we are seeing it more directly. Looking at it obliquely it's more faded much like looking at the sun on the horizon is more faded that when overhead because we are looking obliquely through the atmosphere. Look at the orientation of the debris ring. The dimmer view of the planet is more oblique. The white area also appears the same size going down to the same general latitude, it just looks bigger when you can see more of it.
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