Make a scale model of the Solar System and learn the REAL
definition of "space."
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- Fill in the diameter of the Sun you want your model to be
scaled by. You can fill in either the red bordered inches box or
the green bordered millimeters box. Important: Only fill in
one box. If both are filled in you will get a dialog box asking
you to clear one of the boxes. Use the Clear button to
clear the entire form.
- Click on the "Calculate" button.
- Notice that the distances and sizes of the planets will
automatically fill in. I've also provided some other interesting
scale comparisons at the bottom of the chart.
- You can now build your scale model. You can do this with a
long tape measure, or you can measure the size of your pace and
walk it off counting the number of steps you take. To mark a
planet's place you can use a piece of paper on a post that you
stick into the ground, or you can use a flag, or even a person. Be
prepared for a long walk!
- If you build your solar system on a roll of toilet paper, you
can make the Sun about .4 inches (10 mm) across and still fit the
entire solar system on the roll. A standard roll of toilet paper
has about 450 sheets that are about 4.375 inches long, hence the
roll is about 164 feet long. You should check your toilet paper
for length. Some are longer.
One of the most exciting excercises I ever did as a kid was to
make a scale model of the Solar System. Most of the pictures in my
books made the distance between planets seem small and easy to
travel. Museums were no help either. The models they displayed
usually had the sizes of the planets to scale, but the distances
between them were a completly different scale, giving the
impression of a rather close-knit family.
I made my first scale model on a roll of teletype paper tape
(anyone remember that stuff?) On this 1-inch tape, my Sun was the
size of the tape - 1 inch in diameter. It all started out well.
Mercury was only about 3-1/2 feet from the sun and Earth was
almost 9 feet from the Sun. What I didn't bargain for was that
Pluto was 354 feet down the tape! I used up almost the entire
roll.
I also calculated the sizes that I should make the dots that
represented the planets. I found that even the largest planet,
Jupiter, should have a spot size smaller than 1/16 inch. The other
planets, especially the small rocky inner planets, would be
virtually invisible dust spots.
Needless to say, this was an eye-opening experience. This one
excercise taught me the real meaning of the word "space." It sure
made me feel insignificant looking at the scale of the Solar
System - never mind the rest of the universe!
Thanks to Bill Arnett for his fantastic Nine Planets web
site.
© 1997; Ron Hipschman, Exploratorium