Uranus' axis of rotation

Uranus has a dramatic orientation. While the other seven planets spin on their axes like tops, Uranus appears to roll along its equator. The planet is tilted at a near right angle (about 97.77 degrees), in which polar regions point toward the sun and away from the sun, rather than upward and downward.

Why is Uranus' rotational axis tilted on its side?

This tilt of Uranus thought to be the result of Uranus' collision with an Earth-sized protoplanet while the solar system was forming. This collision has also affected the orientation of Uranus' 13 rings and 27 known moons. Unlike the rings and moons of other worlds, which orbit their home planets horizontally, those of Uranus orbit in a vertical orientation along the planet's tilted equator.

Did You Know? The rings of Uranus are thought to be very young, not more than 600 million years old. They probably came from a few shepherd moons that were shattered by Uranus' gravity and turned into rings around the planet. The chunks collided with each other and turned into smaller and smaller particles.

Also Read: Why Is The Andromeda Galaxy Moving Towards Us If The Universe Is Expanding?