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Solar System Model |
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The model uses two scales: one for the size of the astral bodies
and another for the distance from the sun.
Astral Body scale is 1 centimetre = 20,078 km
Distance from the sun scale is 1 metre = 2,007,800 km
This means that the Sun and the planets of the solar system would
be represented like this:
|
Astral
Body
|
Size
|
Distance
|
|
Actual
(km)
|
Scaled
(cm)
|
Actual
(km)
|
Scaled
(m)
|
|
Sun
|
13,774,000
|
68.60
|
The Sun is the Solar System Centre
|
|
Mercury
|
4,216
|
0.21
|
58,137,859
|
28.96
|
|
Venus
|
12,750
|
0.64
|
107,096,052
|
53.34
|
|
Earth
|
12,750
|
0.64
|
149,942,504
|
74.68
|
|
Mars
|
6,375
|
0.32
|
226,439,684
|
112.78
|
|
Jupiter
|
137,695
|
6.86
|
777,219,380
|
387.10
|
|
Saturn
|
117,296
|
5.84
|
1,425,919,482
|
710.19
|
|
Uranus
|
50,998
|
2.54
|
2,870,170,178
|
1,429.51
|
|
Neptune
|
45,898
|
2.29
|
4,498,034,184
|
2,240.28
|
|
Pluto
|
2,122
|
0.11
|
5,914,757,942
|
2,945.89
|
To fully feel the effect of this model, cut out the scaled models of
the Sun and planets from pieces of cardboard. Then ask your parents to
accompany you and a few of your friends to a nice straight country road
for a great experiment party.
Don't forget to bring along a measuring tape and if you happen to have
walkie-talkies or binoculars, that would add some excitement to the adventure.
Once on site, get a friend to hold the Sun and, using the above table,
measure the distance between him/her and the first planet then post another
friend holding Mercury at that spot and measure the distance to the following
planet and repeat the process until the last planet is in place. The car
odometer will be useful at one point, you'll see.
Can you see the Sun from Pluto? How many planets can you see from the
Sun? Imaging blowing up the distances for the real thing while you and
your friends are now sitting on the planets. Do you start to get weird
and funny feelings about astronomical distances?
We hope you'll enjoy the experience! See you on the other side of the
Moon.
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This page last modified: February 5, 1999 |
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