Louis Eddershaw
MSci Physics with Astrophysics Student
University of Bristol (2020 - 2024)
University of Bristol
Uranus' rotational axis is 97.7 degrees from its orbital axis.
It is widely believed that a giant impact knocked the ice giant onto its side long ago, leaving the entire Uranian system, satellites and all, rotating in this curious state.
With Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations, I simulated a planetesimal Uranus colliding with an impactor and analysed the post-impact spin to determine how likely it is such a collision could explain the present day axial tilt.
Read my master's thesis here.
See videos and more here.