Retrograde and prograde motion orbits about the Sun of all planets and most other objects, except many comets, are prograde, i.e. in the same direction as the Sun rotates. The rotations of most planets, except Venus and Uranus, are also prograde. Most natural satellites have prograde orbits about their planets. Prograde satellites of Uranus orbit in the direction Uranus rotates, which is retrograde to the Sun. Retrograde satellites are generally small and distant from their planets, except Neptune's satellite Triton, which is large and close. All retrograde satellites are thought to have formed separately before being captured by their planets. When a galaxy or
Solar rotation and quickly at the equator. This profile extends on roughly radial lines through the solar convection zone to the interior. At the tachocline the rotation abruptly changes to solid-body rotation in the solar radiation zone. Solar rotation Solar rotation varies with latitude because the Sun is composed of a gaseous plasma. The reason why different latitudes rotate at different periods is unknown. The rate of surface rotation is observed to be the fastest at the equator (latitude ) and to decrease as latitude increases. The solar rotation period is 24.47 days at the equator and almost 38 days at the