December 25, 2015
Somewhere between the Big Bang and this birthday, the universe learned how to make kindness, curiosity, humor, memory, and hope.
To Scale: The Solar System
Birthday · December 25, 2015
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
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APOD published December 25, 2015 · Video still. Credit: Wylie Overstreet. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Want to build a scale model Solar System? A blue marble 1.4 centimeters (about half an inch) across would be a good choice for a scale model Earth. Since the Sun is 109 times the diameter of Earth, a 1.5 meter diameter balloon could represent the Sun. But the distance between the Earth and Sun, 150 million kilometers, would translate to just under 180 meters (590 feet) at the same scale. That would mean the completed project, including the orbits of the outer planets, is probably not going to fit in your backyard. Still, you might find enough room on a dry lakebed. Check out this video for an inspirational road trip through the Solar System to scale.
Image credit: Wylie Overstreet