ice giant

American  

[ahys jahy-uhnt] / ˈaɪs ˌdʒaɪ ənt /

noun

Astronomy.

1. a giant planet composed mostly of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium: the two ice giants in our solar system are Uranus and Neptune, previously classified as gas giants, but now known to be made primarily of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur.

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Etymology

Origin of ice giant

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

This unusual phase of water conducts electricity exceptionally well, making it a strong candidate for explaining the strange magnetic fields observed around ice giant planets.

From Science Daily

These results also help refine models of the internal structure and long-term evolution of ice giant planets, which are thought to be common throughout the universe.

From Science Daily

"The ice giant classification is oversimplified as Uranus and Neptune are still poorly understood," says Luca Morf, PhD student at the University of Zurich and lead author of the work.

From Science Daily

“The three newly discovered moons are the faintest ever found around these two ice giant planets using ground-based telescopes,” said Scott S. Sheppard, astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, in a statement.

From Salon

The authors came to their conclusion after first comparing images of the ice giant to measurements of its brightness, which were recorded by the Lowell Observatory in Arizona from 1950 -- 2016 at blue and green wavelengths.

From Science Daily