U"ra*nus (-n&ucr;s), n. [L. Uranus, Gr. O'yrano`s Uranus, o'yrano`s heaven, sky. Cf. Uranium.]
1. Gr. Myth.
The son or husband of Gaia (Earth), and father of Chronos (Time) and the Titans.
2. Astron.
One of the primary planets. It is about 1,800,000,000 miles from the sun, about 36,000 miles in diameter, and its period of revolution round the sun is nearly 84 of our years.
⇒ This planet has also been called Herschel, from Sir William Herschel, who discovered it in 1781, and who named it Georgium Sidus, in honor of George III., then King of England.
© Webster 1913.