"The Sideways Scout"

Nova Identification: Nova-007

Name: Uranus
Named After: Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun
Classification: Planetary Nova
Specialty: Exploration and Discovery
Motto: “A different perspective can change everything.”

BEHIND THE NAME “URANUS”

Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and one of the strangest worlds in our solar system.

While most planets spin relatively upright, Uranus does something completely different.

It spins almost completely on its side.

With an axial tilt of about 98 degrees, Uranus essentially rolls around the Sun rather than spinning like most other planets.

Scientists believe a massive collision early in the planet's history may have knocked Uranus onto its side.

🔵 The Sideways Planet
Uranus has an axial tilt of approximately 98 degrees, meaning the planet essentially rotates on its side as it travels around the Sun.

🧊 An Ice Giant
Uranus is one of two planets classified as ice giants, along with Neptune. Deep beneath its atmosphere are large amounts of water, methane and ammonia.

🌎 Four Earths Wide
Uranus has a diameter roughly four times wider than Earth's, making it the third-largest planet in our solar system by diameter.

💎 It May Rain Diamonds
Scientists believe the enormous pressures deep inside Uranus could potentially cause carbon to form into diamonds that sink farther into the planet.

💍 Uranus Has Rings
Saturn isn't the only planet with rings. Uranus has 13 known rings, although they're much darker and harder to see than Saturn's spectacular ring system.

🌙 A Family of Moons
Uranus has 28 known moons. Many are named after characters from the works of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope.

🥶 The Coldest Planetary Atmosphere
Despite Neptune being farther from the Sun, Uranus can reach atmospheric temperatures of about −224°C (−371°F), making it home to the coldest measured planetary atmosphere in our solar system.

☀️ Extremely Long Seasons
Because Uranus is tilted so dramatically, its seasons are extreme. Each season lasts roughly 21 Earth years.

⏱️ Short Days, Very Long Years
A day on Uranus lasts approximately 17 hours, while one complete trip around the Sun takes about 84 Earth years.

THE STORY OF URANUS

Every Nova was trained to solve problems. But NOVA-007 had a strange way of doing it. During training, instructors would give the Novas an obstacle and tell them to find the fastest way through it.

Most charged straight ahead. Uranus didn't. He walked around it. Another challenge required the Novas to search an enormous training field for a hidden beacon. Everyone searched the ground. Uranus looked up.

There it was.

The instructors quickly noticed something unusual about NOVA-007. He didn't necessarily think faster than everyone else. He thought differently. So the Nova commanders gave him a designation.

SCOUT.

His job was to explore unfamiliar territory, identify things others overlooked and find solutions when the obvious answer wasn't working. Then came his assignment to Earth. Destination: Amarillo, Texas.

Uranus studied the mission briefing carefully. Find a hiding place. Remain undetected. Wait for a Guardian. But before leaving, his commander gave him one final instruction.

“Make them look twice.”

Uranus smiled. He knew exactly what that meant. His mission would not simply test how far someone was willing to search. It would test whether they were willing to change their perspective. Because somewhere in Amarillo, NOVA-007 would be waiting. People might walk past him. They might search the obvious places. They might even stand closer than they realized. But eventually, someone would stop. Someone would look at the clues differently. And someone would finally see what everyone else had missed.

That person would become his Guardian.

Until then...

The Sideways Scout waits.

URANUS'S MISSION

STATUS: AWAITING DEPLOYMENT

CURRENT LOCATION: CLASSIFIED

HOME BASE: Supernova Inflatables LLC

RECOVERED: —

MISSION DURATION: —

NOVA-007 has been selected for the next Find Nova mission.

Somewhere in Amarillo, the Sideways Scout will take his position.

Once deployed, NOVA-007 will remain hidden until a Guardian successfully locates him and completes his mission.

When that happens, his Nova identification will be permanently retired, and Uranus will leave with his Guardian to become part of the permanent history of Find Nova.