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Calculate the scaled planet diameters and planet-sun distances for a solar system model. Enter scale or diameter or distance, select to show table and/or map below, select options, then press Calculate.
- Solar System Model Links
Imagine building an outdoor solar system scale model...
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Model diameter of sun or planet. dist=...
- Solar System Model Links
This 2D visual model illustrates the scale of the sun and planets in our solar system, and their current distance from each other.
Calculate the scaled planet diameters and planet-sun distances for a solar system model. Enter scale or diameter or distance, select to show table and/or map below, select options, then press Calculate.
The Sun’s diameter is 1,392,700,000 metres while a basketball’s diameter is 0.24 metres. Dividing the Sun by the basketball gives us a big number: 5,754,900,000. It means that 5.75 billion metres in space is equal to just 1 metre in your model. Next, we can use this number to convert real distances to model distances.
Download the Scale Size and Distance Spreadsheet (XLSX or CSV) or the Solar System Sizes and Distances reference guide if calculating manually. Decide on the diameter of Earth in your scale model. Keep in mind that a 1-cm Earth means the scale distance from the Sun to Neptune is about two miles.
VOS O offers a simple solution to scale our solar system. From a reference (diameter, distance, or scale), VOS O lists the diameters and distances scaled for all planets, the eccentricity of their orbit, and their respective positions around the sun at a given date (heliocentric longitude).
Scale & Size 7.5 - Be able to use information about the scale of the Solar System. Understanding the size differences of objects in the solar system as well as their correct distances from each other is important. There are many good projects that will show you how to make your own scale model.
