Just how big is big?

To do this, we need to make a model.

Start with the Solar System. We’ll let one inch equal 1,000,000 miles.

Using this scale, our Sun would be about.9” in diameter. Source – Solar Dynamic Observatory

The nearest planet, Mercury, is 36,000,000 miles away from the Sun. Source – MESSENGER Mission Website On our scale, Mercury would be 36” (3 feet) from the Sun.

The next planet, Venus, is 67,000,000 miles away from the Sun. Source – JPL Photo Journal Website On our scale, Venus is 67 inches (5’ 7”) from the Sun.

Earth is next. It is 93,000,000 miles from the Sun. Source – MESSENGER Mission Website On our scale, the Earth is 93 inches (7’ 9”) away from the Sun.

Mars is next on our journey. It is 141,000,000 miles from the Sun. Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website On our scale, Mars is 141 inches (11’ 9”) away from the Sun.

How long would it take to call Mars? Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website

The asteroids average about 293,000,000 miles from the Sun. Source – Astronomy Picture of the Day, April 13, 1998 On our scale, the asteroids would be (24’ 5”) from the Sun.

Jupiter is the first of the outer gas giants. It is 484,000,000 miles from the Sun. Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website On our scale, Jupiter would be 484 inches (40’ 4”) away from the Sun.

Saturn follows Jupiter. It is 886,000,000 miles from the Sun. Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website On our scale, Saturn is 886 inches (73’ 10”) from the Sun.

Uranus is next at 1,800,000,000 miles away from the Sun. Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website On our scale, Uranus is 1,800 inches (150’) from the Sun.

Neptune is last planet. It is 2,800,000,000 miles away from the Sun. Source – JPL Photojournal Website Neptune is last planet. It is 2,800 inches (233’ 4”) away from the Sun.

The dwarf planet Pluto is 4,600,000,000 miles away from the Sun. Source – JPL Photojournal Website On this scale, Pluto is 4,600 inches (383’ 4”) from the Sun.

The farthest dwarf planet, Eris, can be as far as 12,700,000,000 miles from the Sun. Source – Astronomy Picture of the Day, June 19, 2007 On our scale, Eris would be 12,700” (1,058’ -.2 of a mile) from the Sun.

Stuff to Blow Your Kid's Mind: Scale

The nearest star to the Earth, Alpha Centauri is 4.3 light years (26,000,000,000,000 miles) from the Sun. Source – Science on a Sphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

On our scale, Alpha Centauri would be 26,000,000 inches (410 miles) away from the Sun. Source – Science on a Sphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

410 miles from Brigham City would be near the Four Corners area. Source – Geology.com

We now need a new scale. Let the Solar System be the size of an Oreo cookie. Source – Portrait of the Universe

On this scale, the Milky Way Galaxy would be the size of North America. Source – Portrait of the Universe

The black hole at the center of the Milky Way would be in the middle of Kansas. Source – Portrait of the Universe

On this scale, the Andromeda Galaxy (2,200,000 light years away) would be 55,000 miles away from the Milky Way. Source – Universe Today Website

What is Between the Stars?

Galaxy Crash The Fate of the Milky Way, Andromeda, and Triangulum Galaxies

Ask an Astronomer – Spiral Galaxies

For light to travel from one end of the universe to the other would take 28,000,000,000 years.

On the Oreo scale, this would equal about 1,020,000,000,000,000 miles (or a diameter of about 168 light years!).

Where is the Center of the Universe?

The universe is getting larger. 100 Greatest Discoveries - The Expanding Universe

Sizing Up the Universe

So, to answer our original question, space is huge! Here are things in the universe from small to large!

Earth Sun

Solar System

Milky Way (a galaxy)

A Cluster of Galaxies

Universe (everything!)

And that’s the scale of the universe.