High-Reolution Imagery of Uranus Obtained by Stratoscope II

Abstract

From 17 photographs of Uranus obtained by Stratoscope II, a composite image has been produced having a Gaussian point spread function with a half-maximum intensity diameter of 0'.'2. No certain surface markings are visible. If there are any faint belts parallel to the rotation equator, they have a maximum contrast of 5 percent. The measured limb darkening does not agree with either a deep Rayleigh atmosphere or with clouds high in the atmosphere; a cloud deck under a finite Rayleigh atmosphere seems to be indicated. The equatorial diameter of Uranus is measured to be 51,800 j 600 km, and the ellipticity is estimated to be 0.01 + 0.01.