For this activity you will be creating a scaled-down model of our solar system and correctly placing the planets in their respective distances from the sun and each other. We will be scaling down from astronomical units, using a ratio of your choosing. Remember that one AU is the distance from Earth to the sun. When choosing your items to represent the planets and sun, try to find objects around your dorm/home. They do not have to be round and do not have to represent the actual size of the planets in comparison with one another. But don′t let the objects be too big or you may struggle to make your model. Be sure to label each object as the sun/planet they are representing so that we can see them in your model. Here is the data you will need to create your model. Planet Distance from Sun (AU) Sun (a star) n.a. Mercury 0.39 Venus 0.72 Earth 1.00 Mars 1.52 Jupiter 5.20 Saturn 9.54 Uranus 19.2 Neptune 30.1 Pluto 39.4 You will need to convert each planet’s AU measurement to inches, so you know how to place them in your model of the solar system. Use a conversion factor that makes sense for the space you are in. A recommended scale is 6inches for 1AU. After you’ve figured out all of the conversions, it is time to build your “model”! To do this, you will set the sun down on the ground first, then place the planets at the appropriate distances from the sun (in inches, which you just calculated). Be sure to label each object. Take a picture or video of your completed scale model. In your post include a data table with your conversions from AU to inches a picture/video of your scale model a reflection of your experience building the model; did you think the solar system was that big? how do you explain the size of the solar system or the galaxy to someone?
