Building a Scale Model of the Solar System

(and Beyond)Lesson 11

(Thank you to Mr. Burgard for sharing.)

Bouncy balls

Lentils or Split Peas

FishingBobbers

Buttons

Blue Marbles

Wood Beads

White Beads

Candy

Ping Pong Balls

Be sure you have all the materials and that they are in good shape.

Let Mr. Abe know right awayif you are missing anything

or if anything is not in good shape.

Paper Sun

Procedure1. Determine which of the objects should represent each

planet – keeping in mind size comparison for each planet.2. Record your choices on your data table.

= ?

Procedure1. Decide how far apart the objects would be if

they really represented the scaled objects in the solar system.

2. Measure distances (cm) from the Sun to each planet.

3. Record your data in the data table.

4. Explain your reasoning.

5. Be prepared to present and defend your decisions to the class.

Discuss your thinking…

• What influenced your decisions about planet sizes and order?

• What influenced your decisions about distance?

Best Answers (According to Your Book)

1. Mercury – Lentil/Split Pea2. Venus – Blue Marble3. Earth - Blue Marble4. Mars – Candy5. Jupiter – Bouncy/Racquet Ball6. Saturn – Red and White Bobber7. Uranus - White Bead8. Neptune - White Bead

DO NOT CHANGE

YOUR ANSWERS!

DISTANCE NOT TO SCALE!!!!!

How’d you do size-wise?• If you had the first 4 as smaller objects

(Mercury as the smallest) and the second 4 as larger objects (Jupiter as the largest) you were on track.

• This is typical because we see planets to scale on posters, in books and in diagrams.

• Here are a few to scale models that compare the planets (and some stars) side by side.

Terrestrial (Inner) Planets

And the Jovian (Outer) Planets

The Sun is huge!

The Sun is tiny!

The Sun is SUPER tiny!!!

How’d you do distance-wise?• Thoughts or questions from the

Solar System walk?• Why were you so far off with your

model?• 1 AU = the average distance from

the Earth to the Sun. (A little less than 1,500,000 km)

Scale of the Average Distance of the Planets to the Sun:

Planet Average Distance to the Sun (AU)

Average Distance to the Sun (cm)

Mercury 0.39

Venus 0.72

Earth 1.00

Mars 1.52

Jupiter 5.20

Saturn 9.54

Uranus 19.18

Neptune 30.06

Pluto 39.53

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

If the Earth were the size of a peppercorn

. . .

The Solar system also includes…

The Kuiper Belt

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

KUIPER BELTKUIPER BELT

KUIPER BELT

And is surrounded by…..

the Oort Cloud

OORT CLOUD(1280 MILES)

If the Earth were the size of a peppercorn

. . .

Closest Star

Destination Distance (Light-years)

TimeAt light Speed

Proxima Centauri 4.2 light years 4.2 years

Andromeda Galaxy 2,200,000 2,200,000 years

1 light year is about 5.5 trillion miles.

OORT CLOUD(1280 MILES)

CLOSEST STAR(3700 MILES)

If the Earth were the size of a peppercorn

. . .

Our Solar System is a subsystem of…

The Milky Way Galaxy

Clever.

The Milky Way

Destination Distance (Light-years)

TimeAt light Speed

Proxima Centauri 4.2 light years 4.2 years

Center of Milky Way 38,000 light years 38,000 years

Andromeda Galaxy 2,200,000 2,200,000 years

1 light year is about 5.5 trillion miles.

Closest Galaxy

Destination Distance (Light-years)

TimeAt light Speed

Proxima Centauri 4.2 4.2 years

Center of Milky Way 38,000 38,000 years

Andromeda Galaxy 2,200,000 light years 2,200,000 years

1 light year is about 5.5 trillion miles.

How to find the Andromeda Galaxy

A Small Slice of our Universe

The Hubble Deep Field

View

(About 1/24 millionth of the sky which is

equivalent in angular size to a 65 mm tennis

ball at a distance of 100 meters.)

Feel Small?

(We are.)

Planet Sizes for the demo today

Our scale: 1 inch = 60,000 Km (100,000 mi)• Mercury – .03 inches (1 mm)• Venus – .08 inches (2 mm)• Earth - .08 inches (2 mm)• Mars – .04 inches (1 mm)• Jupiter – .9 inches (2 cm)• Saturn – .7 inches (1.7 cm)• Uranus - .3 inches (.7 cm)• Neptune - .3 inches (.7 cm)

Planet Distances for the demo today

Our scale: 1 inch = 60,000 Km (100,000 mi)• Mercury – 360 in (30 ft)• Venus – 684 in (57 ft)• Earth - 930 in (77 ft)• Mars – 1440 in (120 ft)• Jupiter – 4, 860 in (405 ft.)• Saturn – 8, 892 inches (741 ft)• Uranus – 17, 856 inches (1488 ft) ~ ¼ mile• Neptune - 27, 972 inches (2331 ft) ~ ½ mile

Some other galaxies: