1. Modeling the Solar System
1. Describe what the solar system is
2. Look at examples of models
3. Make a model of the solar system that uses the same scale for size and distance

2. At the center of the solar system is

3. What else is in our solar system?
Planets
Dwarf planets
Moons
Asteroids
Comets
Meteors

4. Definitions of Planet and Dwarf Planet
Characteristic
Planet
Dwarf Planet
Is in orbit around the Sun X
Has sufficient mass to be nearly round
Is not a satellite
Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit
Has NOT cleared the neighborhood around its orbit

5. Five Current Dwarf Planets

6. Planets in order from the Sun

7. Models and Scales Model Name Model Scale Rocket 1 inch = 36 feet
Quadrangle Map
1 inch = 2,000 feet
Globe
1 inch = 660 miles
Solar System
1 inch = 100,000 miles
Measured distance x Scale = Real distance
Length of Rocket: 10 inches x 36 feet/inch = 360 feet
Distance on globe from South Carolina to southern California
4 inches x 660 miles/inch = 2,640 miles

8. Creating our Model Order the major objects in solar system by size
Use balls in the scale of 1 inch = 100,000 miles
Put balls the proper distances apart
Count paces or steps instead of inches
If a pace = a yard, how many inches is that?
Using our scale, how many miles does a pace equal?
1 step = 36 inches x 100,000 miles/inch = 3,600,000 miles!
The biggest steps you’ll ever take!

9. Paces from previous planet Model diameter in inches
Planet Chart
Scale for Diameter and Distance: 1 in. = 100,000 mi.
1 pace = 1 yard = 3,600,000 mi.
Planet or
Dwarf Planet
Paces from previous planet
Paces from Sun
Miles from Sun
Diameter in miles
Model diameter in inches
Mercury
3,000
Venus
7,500
Earth
7,900
Mars
4,200
Jupiter
89,400
Saturn
74,800
Uranus
31,800
Neptune
30,800
Pluto
1,400 10
36,000,000 9 19 7 26 14 40 95
135
112
247
249
496
281
777
242
1019
Using this scale, Sun is 8.5 inches in diameter

10. Paces from previous planet Model diameter in inches
Planet Chart
Scale for Diameter and Distance: 1 in. = 100,000 mi.
1 pace = 1 yard = 3,600,000 mi.
Planet or
Dwarf Planet
Paces from previous planet
Paces from Sun
Miles from Sun
Diameter in miles
Model diameter in inches
Mercury 10
36,000,000
3,000
Venus 9 19
7,500
Earth 7 26
7,900
Mars 14 40
4,200
Jupiter 95
135
89,400
Saturn
112
247
74,800
Uranus
249
496
31,800
Neptune
281
777
30,800
Pluto
242
1019
1,400
Using this scale, Sun is 8.5 inches in diameter

11. Paces from previous planet Model diameter in inches
Planet Chart
Scale for Diameter: 1 in. = 100,000 mi.
Scale for Distance: 1 in. = 1,000,000 mi.
1 pace = 1 yard = 36,000,000 mi.
Planet or
Dwarf Planet
Paces from previous planet
Paces from Sun
Miles from Sun
Diameter in miles
Model diameter in inches
Mercury 1
3,000
Venus
32 in in
7,500
Earth
29 in in
7,900
Mars in 4
4,200
Jupiter
9.5
13.5
89,400
Saturn
11.5 25
74,800
Uranus 50
31,800
Neptune 28 78
30,800
Pluto
103
1,400
Using this scale, Sun is 8.5 inches in diameter