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Astronomy 263/264
Scale Model of the Solar System
Summary
The purpose of this lab is to give you a conceptual feeling for the relative
dimensions of our solar system and the objects that occupy it. You
will set up the first few planets in a scale model and see where
Pluto would be located on a campus map.
Concepts
When people think of our solar system and the planetary bodies that
occupy it, they seldom can visualize the size of the planets in relation
to Earth or the huge distances between the planets. This lab attempts
to provide you with a clear picture of our solar system.
A scale model of our solar system can be
created by choosing a scaled size for the Sun and figuring out how much
each planet will need to be scaled down to still have the same comparitive
size.
In our scaled-down model, we choose to represent the Sun as a medium-sized
beach ball. After calculating the proper scaled sizes of the planets,
you create a solar system out of play-dough. Once the
scaled sizes of the orbits are calculated, we set up the first few planets
at the proper distance from the beach-ball Sun.
You then plot the scale model on a local campus map, and try to
determine where all of the planets would be. This exercise really drives
home the picture of the huge amounts of empty space between the planets!
Take a look at the following image depicting the relative sizes of the
nine major planets and the Sun relative to each other; starting on the
left-hand side is the Sun, followed by Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and finally Pluto. Note that the
distance of each planet from the Sun is NOT accurately shown here...
Last updated on November 5, 2000.
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