Solar System model

Summary

Solar System models, especially mechanical models, called orreries, that illustrate the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the Solar System have been built for centuries. While they often showed relative sizes, these models were usually not built to scale. The enormous ratio of interplanetary distances to planetary diameters makes constructing a scale model of the Solar System a challenging task. As one example of the difficulty, the distance between the Earth and the Sun is almost 12,000 times the diameter of the Earth.

A 1766 Benjamin Martin mechanical model, or orrery, on display at the Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments

If the smaller planets are to be easily visible to the naked eye, large outdoor spaces are generally necessary, as is some means for highlighting objects that might otherwise not be noticed from a distance. The Boston Museum of Science had placed bronze models of the planets in major public buildings, all on similar stands with interpretive labels.[1] For example, the model of Jupiter was located in the cavernous South Station waiting area. The properly-scaled, basket-ball-sized model is 1.3 miles (2.14 km) from the model Sun which is located at the museum, graphically illustrating the immense empty space in the Solar System.

The objects in such large models do not move. Traditional orreries often did move, and some used clockworks to display the relative speeds of objects accurately. These can be thought of as being correctly scaled in time, instead of distance.

Permanent true scale models edit

Many towns and institutions have built outdoor scale models of the Solar System. Here is a table comparing these models with the actual system.

Name Location Scale:
1 : …
Sun dia. Earth dia. Sun–Earth Sun–Pluto Description
Actual Solar System 1 1.392 Gm 12.76 Mm 149.6 Gm 5.914 Tm
Sweden Solar System[2]   Sweden 20,000,000 71 m 65 cm 7,600 m 300 km permanent; country-wide (begun 1998)
Solar System Drive[3][4]   Coonabarabran, Australia 38,000,000 37 m 34 cm 4,100 m 205 km permanent; drivable (est. 1997)
Maine Solar System[5][6]   University of Maine 93,000,000 15 m 13.7 cm 1,600 m 64 km permanent; drivable (est.2003)
Mont Megantic Dark Sky Reserve Great Solar System   Parc national du Mont-Mégantic 100,000,000 14 m 12.4 cm 1,450 m 57 km permanent; drivable (est.2018)
Otago Central Interplanetary Cycle Trail[7][8][9]   Otago Central Rail Trail 100,000,000 13.91 m 12 cm 1,496 m 59.06 km permanent; cyclable (est.2017)
Riverfront Museum Solar System[10][11][12][13]   Peoria, Illinois 99,000,000 11 m 10.0 cm 1,200 m 47 km permanent; drivable (est. 1992?)
Vienna Solar System   Vienna, Austria 163,764,706 8.5 m 7.78 cm 913 m 36 km under construction since 2018. Physical + Augmented Reality
Planet Lofoten   Lofoten, Norway 200,000,000 7 m ? ? 30 km under construction
Planet Trek Dane County   Madison, Wisconsin 200,000,000 7 m 6.6 cm 777 m 38.3 km permanent; fully accessible by foot and bike paths (est. 2009)
Sunspot Solar System Model[14][15][16][17]   Sunspot, New Mexico 250,000,000 5.6 m 5.1 cm 1.5 m 23.6 km permanent, drivable
Lethbridge Solar System Model   Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada 254,000,000 5.5 m 5 cm 500 m 14.7 km (Neptune) permanent, drivable, walkable (est. 2022)
El Sistema Solar de la comarca de Ciudad Rodrigo   Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain 290,000,000 4.8 m 4.4 cm 1.2 m 25 km permanent, Walk & Drive
If the Earth were a Ping-Pong ball[citation needed]   Westminster, London 318,905,000 4.36 m 4 cm ? ? In construction; Walk & Drive (est. 2018) Centered around Deans Yard, Westminster
Light Speed Planet Walk[18]   Anchorage, Alaska 350,000,000 ? ? ? 16.6 km permanent; drivable (est. 2005)
Moab's Scale Model of the Solar System[19]   Moab, Utah 400,000,000 3.6 m 2.4 cm ? 15.3 km permanent; Walk and Drive (est. 2007)
Community Solar System Trail[20][21]   Boston, Massachusetts 400,000,000 3.5 m 3.2 cm 380 m 15.3 km permanent; drivable (established in 1997, removed in 2015)
The Solar System to Scale   Estremoz, Portugal 414,000,000 3.4 m 3.1 cm 361 m 14.3 km permanent; drivable; bikeable
Solar System Stroll[22]   Bratislava, Slovakia 464,000,000 3 m 2.7 cm 322 m 13 km permanent; bikeable, drivable; under construction since 2024
Somerset Space Walk   Bridgwater Canal, Somerset UK 530,000,000 2.5 m ? ? 11 km permanent; bikeable (est. 1997)
York’s Solar System model   York, England 575,872,239 2.4 m 2.2 cm 260 m 10.3 km permanent; bikeable (est. 1999)
Traverse Bay Community Solar System[23]   Traverse City, Michigan 592,763,356 0.9 m ? 209 m 10.0 km permanent; bikeable (est. 2004)
Michigan Solar System Model[24]   Coleman, Michigan 608,000,000 2.3 m 2.1 cm 324 m 9.8 km permanent; bike trail Sun and Pls. Spheres (2017)
Solar System   Opava, Czech Republic 627,000,000 2.2 m 2.0 cm 239 m 9.42 km permanent; bikeable; walkable; drivable (est. 2006)
Nine Views   Zagreb, Croatia 680,000,000 2.0 m 1.9 cm 225 m 8.7 km permanent; bikeable (est. 2004)
Walk the Solar System   Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada 682,353,000 2.0 m 1.9 cm 219 m 8.6 km under construction
McCarthy Observatory[25]   New Milford, Connecticut 761,155,000 1.8 m 1.7 cm 195 m 7.1 km permanent; bikeable (est. 2009)
Planet Walk[26]   Glen Burnie, Maryland. 781,000,000 ? ? 191.5 m 7.56 km Walkable, bikeable (est. 2008). Part of the permanent Baltimore & Annapolis Trail.
Trilho do Sistema Solar   Paredes de Coura, Portugal 831,000,000 1.675 m 1.533 cm 180 m 5.42 km (Neptune) permanent; walkable; bikeable (est. 2016)
Planetenpad Utrecht   Utrecht, The Netherlands 1,000,000,000 1.3 m 1.3 cm 150 m 7.4 km (Neptune) Leads from Centre Utrecht to Rhijnauwen, on foot, on bike or on kayak
Model of the Solar System   Helsinki, Finland 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.2 cm 149.6 m 6.1 km permanent; bikeable
Planetenmodell Hagen   Hagen, Germany 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; bikeable (est. 1959)
Planetenweg Schwarzbach   Kriftel, Germany 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; bikeable (est. 1998)
Uetliberg Planetenweg   Zürich, Switzerland 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; bikeable
Planetenwanderweg   Ehrenfriedersdorf, Germany 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; bikeable
Planetary Trail   Hradec Králové, Czech Republic 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; bikeable (est. 2005)
Planetary Trail   Prague, Czech Republic 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 13 km (Sedna as discovered)
5.9 km (Pluto)
permanent; bike & walk; all objects above 1000km; (est. 13.5.2018)
Melbourne Solar System[27][28]   Melbourne, Australia 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km (Pluto)
40 140 km (Proxima Centauri)
permanent; bikeable (est. 2008) Proxima Centauri scale distance calculated travelling Melbourne to Melbourne via the Poles.[29]
Scale Model Solar System[30]   Eugene, Oregon 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.2 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; bikeable (est. 1997)
Planetstien, Sandnes   Sandnes, Norway 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.2 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; walkable, bikeable (est. 2010)
Planetstien, Lemvig   Lemvig, Denmark 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.2 cm 150 m 5.9 km permanent; walkable
Grand Trunk Pathway Solar System Model   Terrace, British Columbia 1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 6 km permanent; walkable/bikeable (est. 2018)
Planet Walk   Munich, Germany 1,290,000,000 1.1 m 1.0 cm 116 m 4.6 km permanent; walkable (est. 1995)
Strolling at the speed of light   La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada 1,500,000,000 0.9 m 0.8 cm 100 m 3 km (Neptune) permanent; walkable (est. 2009) (temp?)
State of the Solar System[31][32][33]   Bellingham, Washington 1,826,770,000 0.762 m 0.6858 cm 82 m ? permanent; walkable (est. 2016)
Meteoria Söderfjärden   Vaasa, Finland 2,000,000,000 0.7 m ? ? ? permanent; walkable
Planetenweg Göttingen   Göttingen, Germany 2,000,000,000 0.70 m 0.65 cm 75 m 3.2 km permanent; walkable/bikeable (est. 2013)
Solar System Walking Tour[34][35][36]   Gainesville, Georgia 2,000,000,000 0.7 m 0.6 cm 75 m 2.9 km permanent; walkable (est. 2000)
Rymdpromenaden ("Spacewalk")   Gothenburg, Sweden 2,000,000,000 0.7 m 0.6 cm 75 m 3 km permanent; walkable (est. 1978)
Montshire Museum of Science[37]   Norwich, Vermont 2,200,000,000 0.6 m 0.6 cm 68 m 2.7 km permanent; walkable
Ride to Pluto: Boise's Solar System[38]   Boise Greenbelt, Boise, Idaho 2,200,000,000 0.5 m ? ? 2.4 km permanent; walkable & bikeable
The Solar walk[39][40]   Longview, Washington 2,240,000,000 0.6 m 0.6 cm 56.94 m 2.7 km permanent; walkable (est. 2001)
Akaa Solar System Scale Model   Akaa, Finland 3,000,000,000 0.46 m 0.4 cm 49.9 m 1.958 km (Pluto)
13 370 km (Proxima Centauri)
permanent; walkable (est. 2017), Proxima Centauri in Yulara, Australia
Elmhurst Scale Model of the Solar System[41][42]   Elmhurst, Illinois 3,044,620,000 0.5 m 0.4 cm 49.1 m 1.929 km permanent; walk & drive (est. 2013)
Solar System model group of sculptures   Kecskemét, Hungary 3,300,000,000 0.418 m 0.4 cm 45 m 1.8 km permanent; walkable (est. 2002)
Milky Way path   Westerbork, The Netherlands 3,700,000,000 ? ? ? 2.5 km permanent; walkable
Solar Walk   Gainesville, Florida 4,000,000,000 0.3 m 0.3 cm 37.4 m 1.5 km permanent; walkable (est. 2002)
Otford Solar System Model [43]   Otford, England 4,595,700,000 0.3 m 0.3 cm 32 m 900 m permanent; walkable; Includes: Proxima Centauri in Los Angeles, USA; Barnard’s Star in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; Sirius in Sydney, Australia; and Ross 154 in Christchurch, New Zealand
Wooster Planet Walk   Wooster, Ohio 5,000,000,000 0.3 m 0.3 cm 30 m 1.2 km permanent; walkable (est. 2014)
The Sagan Planet Walk   Ithaca, New York 5,000,000,000 0.3 m 0.3 cm 30 m 1.2 km permanent; walkable (est. 1997)
Delmar Loop Planet Walk   University City, Missouri 5,000,000,000 0.3 m 0.2 cm 30 m 870 m (Neptune) permanent; walkable (est. 2009)
The Solar Walk   Cleveland, Ohio 5,280,000,000 0.3 m 0.2 cm 28.4 m 1.1 km permanent; walkable
Solar System Walk

An Exploration of Scale

  Carlsbad, California 5,280,000,000 ? ? 28 m 1.119 km Located near Lake Calavera
O Sistema Solar no Parque[44]   Natal, Brazil 7,000,000,000 0.2 m 1.8 mm 22 m 875 m permanent; walkable/bikeable (est. June 3rd, 2016)
A True Scale Model of the Solar System[45][46]   Cookeville, Tennessee 10,000,000,000 0.14 m 0.12 cm 15 m 590 m permanent; walkable (est. 2017)
Voyage National Program   Boulder, Colorado (2021) Palo Alto, California (2022)[47][48] Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (2022) Ocala, Florida (2022) Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (2022) Dover, New Hampshire (2023) Spokane, Washington (2022) Memphis, Tennessee (2023) Chalmette, Louisiana (2023) 10,000,000,000 0.1 m 0.1 cm 15 m 600 m permanent; walkable; US national program
Lake Innitou Thousand Yard Interplanetary Walk   Woburn, Massachusetts 10,000,000,000 0.23 m (bowling ball) N/A (stone plaque) 24 m 932 m (1019 yd) permanent; walkable (est. 2004); along the sidewalk by Horn Pond.
NJ Botanical Garden   Ringwood, New Jersey 10,000,000,000 0.2 m 2.0 cm 23.8 m 927 m walkable
Colorado Scale Model Solar System   Fiske Planetarium, Boulder, Colorado 10,000,000,000 0.1 m 0.1 cm 15 m 600 m permanent; walkable (est. 1987)
Anstruther Model Solar System   Anstruther, Scotland 10,000,000,000 0.1 m 0.1 cm 15 m 600 m permanent; walkable (est. 2014)
Le Chemin Solaire   La Couyère, Brittany 10,000,000,000 1 m 0.1 cm ? 450 m permanent; walkable (est. 2011)
Solar Walk UofT Scarborough   Toronto, Ontario and Eureka, Nunavut 10,000,000,000 0.14 m 0.13 cm 15 m 591 m permanent; walkable/bikeable (est. 2017)
MIT's Infinite Solar System   Cambridge, Massachusetts 30,000,000,000 4.6 cm 0.43 mm 5.0 m 200 m permanent; walkable (est. 2018); along "Infinite Corridor"
Solar System Lawn Model[49]   Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California 105,000,000,000 1.32 cm 0.12 mm 1.42 m 56 m permanent; walkable; engraved in the front sidewalk

Other models of the Solar System: historic, temporary, virtual, or dual-scale edit

Name Location Scale Sun dia. Earth dia. Sun-Earth Sun-Pluto Description
Kirkhill model 1776[b]   Scotland 1:778,268,620.8 1.8 m 1.6 cm 197 m - decayed
Planetenpad Utrecht   Utrecht, Netherlands 1:1,000,000,000 1.3 m 1.3 cm 150 m 7.4 km (Neptune) Leads from Centre Utrecht to Rhijnauwen, on foot, on bike or by kayak
Planet Walk Malta[1]   Buġibba, Malta 1:2,956,760,000 (distance) / 695,000,000 (sizes) 2.0 m 1.84 cm 50.60 m 2.0 km (Neptune) Leads from Malta Aquarium west along promenade
Sorghvliet   The Hague, Netherlands 1:696,000,000 2.0 m 1.8 cm 215 m 6.5 km (Neptune) (temporary)
Sol Chicago[50][51]   Illinois, Chicago 1:73,660,000 19 m 17.3 cm 2,050 m 61 km (Neptune) (temporary) proposed
Le Chemin des planètes   Saint-Luc, Switzerland 1:1,000,000,000 1.4 m 1.3 cm 150 m 5.9 km uses two different scales for distance and size
The Madison Planet Stroll[52]   Madison, Wisconsin 1:4,000,000,000 0.3 m 0.3 cm 37 m 1.5 km (virtual)
Solar System Stroll   Perth, Western Australia 1:5,000,000,000 0.3 m 0.3 cm 30 m 1.2 km permanent; walkable (est. 2016)
The Thousand-Yard Model[53][54] (virtual) 1:6,336,000,000 0.2 m 0.2 cm 25 m 1 km The scale of the planets is the same as the scale between them, and the planets are represented by everyday objects; the Earth is a peppercorn, Jupiter is a walnut, and Neptune is a coffee bean.
(dismantled)   Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, Quebec 1:10,000,000,000 0.1 m 0.1 cm 15 m 0.6 km (dismantled) (est. 1985)
Lafayette Walk   Detroit, Michigan 1:6,336,000,000 23 cm 0.2 cm 25 m 983 m A walking demonstration of (un)imaginable distances. "It's nowhere near Graham's Number."
Planets on the Path   Chicago, Illinois 1:2,195,000,000 457 m 13.5 miles (2015, temporary)
The Solar System, to scale, for a school yard PDF for printing 1:11,945,400,000 11.6 cm 0.1 cm 12.5 m 492 m PDFs, A4 and 8½″×11″, to be printed, affixed to cards which are affixed to sticks; then to be held by children standing in a school yard. Includes major moons and asteroids.
Naas Virtual Solar System   Naas, County Kildare 1 : 154,557,330 9 m 82 mm 968 m 29 km (Neptune) In Ireland, this instantly recognisable roadside spherical sculpture is well known, and is used as the model for the Sun. The website[55] maps out the planetary orbits and shows everyday objects to scale the planets (e.g. a golf ball for Mars)
Saskatoon Solar Walk Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 1 : 1,275,600,000 109 cm 1 cm 110 m 4,500 m Personal and public art installation.

Several sets of geocaching caches have been laid out as Solar System models.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Power & Light District to Union Station
  2. ^ Possibly the first accurate scale model after the measurement of the astronomical unit in 1769.
  1. ^ "Boston Community Solar System" at Waymarking.com.
  2. ^ "Sweden Solar System |" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  3. ^ "Worlds Largest Virtual Solar System Drive". www.visitnsw.com. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  4. ^ "Coonabarabran: The world's largest solar system drive". www.playingintheworldgame.com. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  5. ^ Bayly, Julia (2021-08-18). "Here's how you can visit the solar system in Maine, no rocket ship required". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  6. ^ "Maine Solar System Model". Maine Solar System Model. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  7. ^ Jones, Pam (2017-03-16). "Solar system to scale on Rail Trail". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  8. ^ Williams, Katarina (2016-11-12). "Otago Central rail trail to become 100 million to one model replica of the Solar System". Stuff. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  9. ^ "An Interplanetary Ride". Otago Central Rail Trail. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  10. ^ "Community Solar System Scale Model | Museum & Informal Education Alliance". informal.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  11. ^ Schoenheider, Jon (26 March 2022). "Interplanetary 5K takes runners across the solar system". www.25newsnow.com. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  12. ^ "Community Solar System". www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  13. ^ "Peoria Scale Model of the Solar System". atlasobscura.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  14. ^ "Sunspot Solar System Model". informal.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  15. ^ "Sunspot Solar System Model". Archived from the original on 2017-04-11. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  16. ^ "VISITING THE SUNSPOT OBSERVATORY". sunspot.solar. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  17. ^ "An Overview of Sunspot". sunspot.nmsu.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  18. ^ "Where to start your Planet Walk". anchorageplanetwalk.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  19. ^ "Moab Scale Model Solar System". slideplayer.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  20. ^ "Greater Boston used to have a scale model of the Solar System". medium.com. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  21. ^ "Museum of Science Boston Community Solar System". foursquare.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  22. ^ "Solar System Stroll website". Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  23. ^ "Solar System". traversetrails.org. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  24. ^ "SOLAR SYSTEM SCULPTURE INSTALLMENT". midlandcountymi.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  25. ^ "Scale Solar System". mccarthyobservatory.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  26. ^ "Annual Planet Walk!". www.friendsofaatrails.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  27. ^ museumoflost (2018-04-05). "The St Kilda Solar System". The Museum of Lost Things. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  28. ^ "Nick visits the Melbourne Solar System trail, finds six planets, loses Neptune and takes a surprise trip to Proxima Centauri". Observations. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  29. ^ https://stkildamelbourne.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Solar_System_Self_Guided_Trail_web_friendly.pdf
  30. ^ "Outer Planet Map". members.efn.org/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  31. ^ "STATE OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM". stateofthesolarsystembham.wordpress.com/. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  32. ^ "State of the Solar System Poster" (PDF). cob.org/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  33. ^ "What's the Deal With: The downtown solar system?". www.cascadiadaily.com/. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  34. ^ "WALKING TOUR OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM". www.exploregeorgia.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  35. ^ "Solar System Walking Tour" (PDF). www.exploregainesville.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  36. ^ "Solar System Walking Tour". www.gainesville.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  37. ^ "Planet Walk (3.0 miles roundtrip)". www.montshire.org/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  38. ^ "Greenbelt's little-known Planet Walk shows solar system's scale". www.idahostatesman.com/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  39. ^ "Solar System Walk". www.mylongview.com/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  40. ^ "SOLAR SYSTEM MAP". www.friendsofgalileo.com/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  41. ^ "Elmhurst Residents Can Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before". patch.com. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  42. ^ "ELMHURST SOLAR SYSTEM MODEL". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  43. ^ "UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Webportal - Places connected to the Sky".
  44. ^ "O Sistema Solar no Parque" (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2023-12-03. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  45. ^ "A True Scale Model of the Solar System". www2.tntech.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  46. ^ "Building a True Scale Model of the Solar System" (PDF). www2.tntech.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
  47. ^ "The Voyage Scale Model Solar System". NASA Solar System Exploration. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  48. ^ Bennett, J. (2020-01-01). "Voyage Mark II — Scale Model Solar Systems at Moderate Prices". American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #235. 235: 239.06. Bibcode:2020AAS...23523906B.
  49. ^ "Solar System Lawn Model". griffithobservatory.org. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  50. ^ "Sol Chicago". Archived from the original on 2011-06-25. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  51. ^ "Sol Chicago". youtube.com/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  52. ^ "Welcome to The Madison Planet Stroll". www.idahostatesman.com/. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  53. ^ "The Thousand-Yard Model, or, The Earth as a Peppercorn". www.universalworkshop.com. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  54. ^ "The Thousand-Yard Model, or, The Earth as a Peppercorn". noirlab.edu. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  55. ^ "Naas Solar System". Retrieved 2023-07-27.

External links edit

  • A list of websites related to Solar System models
  • The Otford Solar System
  • An accurate web-based scroll map of the Solar System scaled to the Moon being 1 pixel
  • An online scale model Archived 2020-01-05 at the Wayback Machine (does not work in some browsers)
  • An online 3D model
  • An article on the Solar System in Maine Archived 2013-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
  • An article about a temporary exhibit in Melbourne, Australia
  • A map with Solar System models in Germany
  • A tool to calculate the diameters and distances needed for an accurate scale model
  • To Scale: The Solar System - video of model built in desert with Earth as the size of a marble.