(Nearly) Scale Model of the Solar System on the LAX Field
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Published 2020-09-08
I teach Astrophysics at Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, California) and this video was made for my students as an introduction to the structure and scale of the Universe. This video attempts to illustrate what a full scale model of the Solar System might look like. The size of the Sun and the planets shown relative to each other are quite accurate. And the relative spacing of the distances shown are quite accurate. BUT, the scale used for the sizes and the scale used for the distances are NOT the same. What would they have to be if it were a TRULY scale model of the Solar System (go to the 7:45 mark in the video)?
For a nice "grande finale" to this video, I recommend this video from National Geographic. I always show it to my students after walking them through our "not quite" scale model on the field to show them what a FULL SCALE model of the Solar System would have to look like:
• Video
You might also enjoy my other video describing what a scale model of the ENTIRE observable Universe would look like:
• Scale Model of the Universe (Specks o...
All Comments (21)
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There is a solar system trail in Melbourne Australia measured out at a 1:1000000000 scale with all planets sized to scale. It's a 5.9km walk from the sun all the way out to Pluto and Earth is only 150m. It's mind boggling just how vast our own solar system is yet alone the universe.
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What really blows my mind is how it doesn’t matter how small you make the scale, pretty quickly your distances between planets, stars and galaxies become literally astronomical
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What I find fascinating is how powerful gravity is. The Sun is so far away, yet Pluto can't break free of its orbit around it.
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This model is honestly one of the best and absolute mind blowing demonstrations. I never realized how far the distances are between the gas giants.
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I'm 84 years old and never have seen the solar system scaled like this. I'm blown away by sun's size and the distances. I had no idea there was so much space between the outer planets. Thank you!
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If the pumpkin is about 900,000 mile dia, and 90,000,000 miles from earth, shouldn't the earth be 100 pumpkins away? Looks too close.
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I was really skeptical until you explained the different scales you used to measure distance and size at 7:44. Well done, sir.
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I knew this was wayyyy too cramped to be realistic, I'm glad he corrected at the end
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It's amazing that the sun has enough gravity to keep all the planets in orbit around it especially considering how far away they are from it.
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Some friends and i actually did this in school for a project, but with both size and distance at the same scale. We started with a sun about the same size as yours, and placing the planets we had to drive all over town. Pluto was actually in another town entirely. We wrote down the addresses and took pictures of each in case people wanted to check them out. Was very mind blowing to realize the distances involved though.
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When you show it on a scale like this I find size in space hard to comprehend. Well done, good job.
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Well done. Thanks for this. Brings our physical insignificance into perspective. Think how unconsciously and without empathy we crush something smaller than a microbe by walking by a blade of grass or brushing by a leaf. That’s how it theoretically could end for us. Not by being conquered, but being unnoticed.
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Play at 1.75 speed you wont regret it
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I love that this just took me on a journey through the size and scale of the solar system just to tell me that "size doesn't matter". A true hero.
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Scale (dia vs distance) is not right imho
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Great work. I love seeing things like this. We've got a scale model of the solar system in the middle of one of our parks here in town, and Neptune and Pluto (when it was constructed, Pluto was still a planet) are so far away that they are actually on sidewalks, one near the edge of the city, and one downtown, both miles away from the park. Also: 1 cm/sec is a hell of a fast snail.
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The Smithsonian in Washington DC has a true scale model of the solar system spread out over the entire Mall. You have literally have to walk miles to see the entire thing. That’s the first time I truly understood the scale and it blew my mind at the time.
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Not only was this an eloquent and informative talk on the move but you did it in one take. Impressive stuff!
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I knew that looked familiar! I’m a Paly graduate (class of 83). I am also a teacher. I have been mainly teaching (mostly math & science) at tiny schools since graduating from UCSC in 88. This year I showed my kids a to-scale video done in the Mojave desert. This one is a lot easier to grasp initially and a good segue into the other and then Charles and Ray Eames’ Powers of Ten. Thanks for making this video (and treating this old Viking to some nostalgia)!
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Man, the two different scales you use really threw me off for most of the video. I just kept thinking "that can't possibly be right!"
