The Solar System to scale

[Velorum]

I came across this YouTube video and thought that it might be of some interest - the solar system, all planets to scale and laid out in an expanse of desert

[alfat33]

Very cool. 'Everything you have ever known, you can hide behind your thumb.'

Thanks for posting.

[bobbee]

Beautiful.

[crazyp]

Thanks for sharing - I remember watching this last year. It really puts things into perspective to understand the distances involved. Now extrapolate that model for stars and things would become even more mind-blowing.

[mjrennie]

There's always a point when thinkimg about the Universe when you just sort of lose the thread, so incalculable is it. It's wondrous.

[robcat]

"Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space."

These sort of things always make me think of this quote.

[Mr Curta]

Thanks! I particularly like the descriptions by the astronauts.

There is a 1:1,000,000,000 scale model of the Solar System in the Falkland Islands, starting with the Sun in Stanley and finishing with poor discredited Pluto on the top of Mount Tumbledown. It is made from recycled local materials and the Sun is in line of sight from every planet. At that scale Mercury is about 20m along the sea front and although it is just 5.9km to Pluto it takes a full day of hiking to see every planet.

There's a nice description here: http://peterspenguinpost.blogspot.co...m-up-here.html

[Wallasey Runner]

Superb Ian, thanks for posting.

[Appleshands]

Quality


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[Damo]

Excellent, I always find that kind of stuff mind blowing, thanks for posting.

[John Wall]

Wow !

Makes you feel really quite insignificant in the big scheme of things doesn't it...

[Mulligrub]

Thanks for posting, absolutely amazing. No matter how important you think you are, think again.

[chard101]

I came across this YouTube video and thought that it might be of some interest - the solar system, all planets to scale and laid out in an expanse of desert

Thanks for posting that. I've just been going through this and some other videos with my 5 year old daughter, it's just amazing explaining the distances involved with just our own solar system, never mind our own galaxy or the other galaxy's.

I remember at school when I first grasped the concept of how large space was and I felt very small and frightened. Totally blew my mind.

There has to be other planets with life on them out there but because of the distances / time involved in travel we will probably never know.

[72bpm]

"Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space."

These sort of things always make me think of this quote.

One of my favourites too

[Gobo]

Just had a look & it takes Neptune 165 years to orbit the sun.
Its only completed one lap since the day it was discovered.

[thieuster]

I had seen this before but forgot about it. This is one of the vids you can rewatch and feel amazed about over and over again.

[Wallasey Runner]

For those interested, that dot in the 7 o'clock position to the moon is Jupiter - get out and see it.

It is amazing what apps are available these days.

[Velorum]

We went to an astronomy club open evening at Reading University a few year back. They had a load of high magnification telescopes set up and experts on hand to help you find things. I recall an amazing view of not only Jupiter but some of its moons. Also saw Saturns rings. Amazing.

I am seriously considering undertaking this course later in the year:

http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/qualif...course-details

[Wallasey Runner]

We went to an astronomy club open evening at Reading University a few year back. They had a load of high magnification telescopes set up and experts on hand to help you find things. I recall an amazing view of not only Jupiter but some of its moons. Also saw Saturns rings. Amazing.

I am seriously considering undertaking this course later in the year:

http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/qualif...course-details

Looks good Ian, not cheap though.

[even neve]

Amazing

[Velorum]

I downloaded the 'Skywalk 2' all in one bundle app to my android phone the other day.

Used in conjunction with my binoculars and cheapie telescope its brilliant!

[Velorum]

Looks good Ian, not cheap though.

The OU ones tend to be. However, Ive done a few over the years and been impressed with the quality of materials and support provided.

[Velorum]

This one has been posted previously in another thread but might be worth a look if you missed it:

[Guz]

Armagh Planetarium in Northern Ireland has a scale model of the sun and surrounding planets (Pluto is still hanging in there) set out in its grounds, it is amazing and fascinating as you walk along it.

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[Alansmithee]

The OU ones tend to be. However, Ive done a few over the years and been impressed with the quality of materials and support provided.

They would because they are credit-bearing - 60 credits is 1/6 of a degree.

[pingu]

Just WOW.

I love these types of things that try to put things into perspective. The simply unimaginable vastness that we are faced with makes it awe inspiring. And that is just our own little corner of the cosmos.

[exarkun12]

Amazing. Puts things in perspective.