Author Topic: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)  (Read 12126 times)

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« on: 06/30/2016 04:30 pm »
Ok...

So I'm a space geek and I like to build scale models of spaceships (well... 1:72 or 1:144 mostly so far).
And my profession has a lot to do with construction works.

So, all these qualities combined, I decided to build my own solar system scale model.
So... I did.

-----

I chose the scale of 1:3 000 000 000 for 2 reasons:

1 - smallest objects (Pluto, Eris...) still reasonable size (visible by naked eye)
2 - distances between the Sun and outer Solar System still within reasonable walking distance
(3 - the Sun is not ridiculously large / expensive to build)

-----

Timeline of events so far:

1. I ordered ball bearings of various sizes from the internet to represent the planets.
2. I went to local steel workshops to get steel parts I needed.
3. I took these to my welder friend who welded them by my instructions.
4. I ordered name plaques from the internet and glued them to the disks.
5. I got some concrete from my friend at the construction yards.
6. I made the concrete pillars at my garage.
7. I painted them.
8. ? ? ?
9. Profit.

-----

During this process I also created an educational pdf brochure about this scale model for download.
And to my surprise, I created my first, best and only (so far) android application for this scale model!

OK now... one big "if" was still there.
Where to put this scale model?

From the beginning I had in mind to build this scale model along the main street of our town. And start with the Sun by the church clock tower (only landmark to be visible from the distance). So, during the building process I gently started to make contact with our town's people to begin to sell my idea to them. Of course, I was not asking any big money for it, only some hundred euros to cover the expenses I had by buying the stuff I could not make myself. And my work was for free, naturally.

And on the second try, they finally started to get interested in my project. I had a chance to give them a presentation of this project and things started to look more promising.

So, the situation now is that this scale model is ready, and most likely will be erected along the main street in a few months at the same time they are starting some larger renovation project in the town center. So far, so good.

I have all the planets in this model, as well as Ceres representing the Asteroid Belt, Pluto for Kuiper Belt, Eris for Scattered Disk and finally "Voyager 1" -pillar to mark the edge of the Heliosphere. My model, my decisions.  ;)

But anyway, today I finished the work with the pillars so I just wanted to share my pride and joy among the other model builders here at NSF.

-----

When I receive the final green light from the town people and the locations for the pillars will be finalized, I might put the final version of the brochure and .apk here for viewing. Meanwhile, you can try to guess where in the world this solar system is going to come...  ;D

BTW. In my model/scale, Alpha Centauri would just barely fit on the Earth, roughly somewhere in Australia. And it would be about a 50 cm steel sphere in size like our Sun too.  8)
« Last Edit: 09/05/2018 07:43 pm by K-P »

Offline Ronpur50

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2117
  • Brandon, FL
  • Liked: 1028
  • Likes Given: 1884
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #1 on: 06/30/2016 06:13 pm »
This is just all sorts of awesome!  Imagine schools coming from afar to view this.  Cool!

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #2 on: 06/30/2016 06:40 pm »
This is just all sorts of awesome!  Imagine schools coming from afar to view this.  Cool!

Actually, in some way I did also want to build this as a concrete and easy-to-understand example for children (and why not adults too) to demonstrate the size of our local universe. And maybe it would spark an interest in astronomy or at least some sciences?

And yes, although I KNOW and I DO UNDERSTAND the scales and distances of our solar system and interstellar neighbourhood, this work actually did open even my eyes to the size of our solar system. By showing the huge size of the Sun compared to the planets. And the vast distances between the planets. So all in all, it was also a learning experience for me too. Of course you know the numbers, how something is million this and that miles and 10^50 something something. But it does not necessarily compute in your brains what that actually means. The numbers are so big in stellar scales.

Especially the size of the Sun vs. the planets surprised me. I remember from my childhood the books about space ALWAYS had only a portion or a thin sector of the Sun shown next to planets in same scale. You never really got the grasp of the real difference. You maybe remember that Jupiter has about 1/10 diameter of the Sun. And the Earth has 1/10 of Jupiter. But when you transfer this 2D difference in real world and 3 dimensions, the difference is even more striking. So yes, even old dog can learn new... things.

Offline pospa

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 213
  • Pardubice, CZ
  • Liked: 291
  • Likes Given: 800
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #3 on: 07/05/2016 06:21 am »
Hi K-P. I realy like your model and also enthusiasm that you've created it (almost) all by yourself. Good job! :-)
From the planet names I assume you are from Estonia, not sure about the town, just randomly guessing Tallinn.

In Czech Republic we have at least 3 outdoor solar system scale models that I'm aware of. The one closest to my town is in Hradec Kralove, with big (1,39 m) Sun model located at the local astro observatory. Scale 1 : 1 000 000 000 with total walk path length 6,5 km - a nice saunter out of the town for schools or families with kids. Some pictures and comments via gogle translate:
https://translate.google.cz/translate?hl=cs?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A//www.astrohk.cz/planetarni_stezka/

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #4 on: 07/05/2016 06:10 pm »
Hi K-P. I realy like your model and also enthusiasm that you've created it (almost) all by yourself. Good job! :-)
From the planet names I assume you are from Estonia, not sure about the town, just randomly guessing Tallinn.

Good guess, but unfortunately I cannot reward you with a virtual lollipop this time. Wrong city, wrong country.  ;)

And the "town" I am talking about here is more like a village. So this will not be placed in any major city.

But yes, we also have a few bigger solar system scale models in my country. However, because the biggest one (1:1 000 000 000) for example, is already twenty something years old it has been vandalised and suffered from weather and it is not in pristine condition anymore. And there are also some other more artistic and less realistic solar system models around the country that I know. However, my work should be the only one in this region / county to my knowledge. And naturally, it will also be the best so far (me playing modest...).   ::)

I just yesterday received more information, that most likely I am allowed to have my "groundbreaking ceremonies" for this model in September this year. A few months of time to polish the model all over a few dozen times before going public...  8)


Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #5 on: 07/05/2016 06:18 pm »
Here's a few more pictures of the steel models before I did the concrete pillars.
These photos give a bit more detailed view of them than the previous ones.

This must have been how God felt when he created the universe...?  ;)

Offline joncz

  • Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 523
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Liked: 296
  • Likes Given: 390
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #6 on: 07/05/2016 06:40 pm »
Hi K-P. I realy like your model and also enthusiasm that you've created it (almost) all by yourself. Good job! :-)
From the planet names I assume you are from Estonia, not sure about the town, just randomly guessing Tallinn.

Good guess, but unfortunately I cannot reward you with a virtual lollipop this time. Wrong city, wrong country.  ;)

You're in Finland.

Great work.  Have you considered QR Codes on each pedestal leading to (if nothing else, Wikipedia) web pages on each body?

Offline Oersted

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2897
  • Liked: 4098
  • Likes Given: 2773
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #7 on: 07/05/2016 10:18 pm »
Great project!

What has blown my mind lately is the realisation that our space probes take several years to reach the outer planets, yet I can put up my 20-cm. diameter Newtonian telescope - basically a hollow tube with a curved mirror in the bottom - and see Saturn, with its rings showing very clearly, with my own eyes! Many years of high-speed travel away, yet clearly visible from a balcony in a light-polluted city. Mindblowing.

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #8 on: 07/06/2016 06:13 am »
Great work.  Have you considered QR Codes on each pedestal leading to (if nothing else, Wikipedia) web pages on each body?

I am not sure how to put QR Codes on the steel disks in a way that would last Finnish winter & polar bear attacks. ;)

But yes, in my mobile application for the model I have additional info about the planets and also links to Wikipedia.
So, when you are at (or going at) a certain pillar/planet you just click on its name on the application and you get info about that planet, both in this scale model and in the real world.

I have included also other additional & interesting info about the solar system and solar system exploration in the app. Still keeping it as simple and understandable as possible. Such as "the speed of light is 10cm/second in my model's scale". Might seem fast but as you start to move your hand 10cm per sec from one planet to another in my model, you really get the point that light is "slow" and space is "big". Numbers really turn into real life experience this way.

Or that "Earth moves about 1/3 of the distance between Earth & Moon in one hour" and because Earth/Moon distance in my model happens to be the diameter of the concrete pillar, this will be very easy to understand and visualize.

I also have a map in the application showing the locations of the planets in my model and a data sheet for quick glance at the numbers involved (diameter, distance, orbital period...). I might put some screenshots of the app once it is online and finished.

Yes, and thanks for the feedback so far!

Offline Archibald

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2611
  • Liked: 500
  • Likes Given: 1096
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #9 on: 07/06/2016 04:05 pm »
This is a great idea, and good work.
Han shot first and Gwynne Shotwell !

Offline Kansan52

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1488
  • Hutchinson, KS
  • Liked: 570
  • Likes Given: 539
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #10 on: 07/06/2016 05:15 pm »
Wonderful! And it's great the town went along with the idea.

Offline skater

  • Member
  • Posts: 76
  • Liked: 91
  • Likes Given: 541
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #11 on: 07/27/2016 12:37 pm »
Excellent project!  There's a similar scale model of the Solar System in Boston, at a scale of 1:400,000,000.  http://www.everytrail.com/guide/community-solar-system-trail-boston-museum-of-science

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #12 on: 10/13/2017 06:15 pm »
All right then...

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since my last post in this topic.
And there has been some "interesting" and radical plot twists and turns during this year around my project.

But.
Finally.
It.
Is.
Done.
 8)

Everything went as planned, concrete pillars are at their places.
Only the town has changed (!).
Not going too deep into the details but some towns/people are just too difficult to work with...
No matter what you try.

So, a new place was found quickly and everything was smooth there.

Location for my scale model is at the city of Akaa in Finland, and to be more precise, the center of Toijala district.

People and especially the teachers at the local school (where "the Sun" is located at their yard) have been really supportive and interested of all this. So I finally found good home, so to speak, for my pet project.

Here are some pictures of "men at work".  :)


Offline Kansan52

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1488
  • Hutchinson, KS
  • Liked: 570
  • Likes Given: 539
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #13 on: 10/17/2017 09:27 pm »
Congrats!!!

Offline Athrithalix

  • Member
  • Posts: 46
  • UK
  • Liked: 26
  • Likes Given: 59
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #14 on: 10/18/2017 01:34 pm »
This is superb, I'd love to do something similar, how much did this cost you in the end?

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #15 on: 10/22/2017 08:51 am »
This is superb, I'd love to do something similar, how much did this cost you in the end?

Well... materials cost me some hundred euros, in total I estimate that it stayed under 1000 euros.
Basically cash was involved when I bought the stainless steel parts and welding work for them, and name tags for planets.
But other materials were not expensive or I got them practically for free.
And the city of Akaa paid me material costs for the receipts, so I did not have to pay it all by myself.

And of course the concrete works etc. I did by myself, so the total price was more the price you want to put for your own working hours...
I do not wish even calculate all the work hours (and average hour salary) I spent with this, or I will cry. :)
(+ all the travel costs, hours with android software etc...........)

Anyway, this was my passion and my hobby, so money&time doesn't mean all that much.
Astronomy is a state of mind...  8)

KP


(some new pics attached below)

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #16 on: 10/22/2017 09:15 am »
So, what's next...?

I had a crazy idea while ago.

As I have told, in this scale (1:3 000 000 000), the nearest star system (Alpha Centauri AB + Proxima) would be approximately in the middle of Australia (if measured along the ground...)

Sooo... I thought that MAYBE I should contact some town/people in Central Australia and propose, that they would build the models/concrete pillars of those three stars with the same scale. So that way this scale model would be truly global and have practical example of stellar distances!!!  ;D

Maybe it could spark even some friendship relationship between the town Akaa in Finland and the town of XXX in Australia...?

So, if any lurker here is from Australia, give me some tips and/or contact info.  ;)

Anyway, it should be no big project for some local enthusiast.
Just build two roughly similar hollow steel spheres as I did with the Sun to represent Alpha Centauri A and B (A=57cm and B=40cm in diameter?) and place them on concrete pillars about 1170 meters apart (average distance).
And then build "Proxima" with the size of about 10cm steel bearing ball and place it 430 km apart (average distance)

Voilá!

And of course as time progresses and we find definitive planets around these stars you would be free to update and upgrade your own Alpha Centauri -model with that info/planetary pillars...

Offline Hauerg

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 901
  • Berndorf, Austria
  • Liked: 520
  • Likes Given: 2574
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #17 on: 10/22/2017 10:29 am »
I really like when people are actually DOING things.

Great.

Hope this will last and not fall victim to drunk jackasses.

Offline K-P

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 202
  • Liked: 155
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #18 on: 04/07/2018 07:10 pm »
I finally had time to make a wikipedia page for this (https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akaan_aurinkokuntamalli) and add also Google Maps -locations.

So, I have been having quite a few lectures at the local school during this winter telling about my scale model and about our solar system in general too. Students have been very interested in all of this. I learned also that they have only a handful of astronomy lessons (<10 hrs) in total during the entire comprehensive school! That's very sad... Well, I am hoping to spark that interest at least on my part among the young generation. As we all here know, there's no more noble and important science than astronomy.  ;)

Even if we live in a digital age and everyone is permanently attached to their computer screens and cell phones, I still appreciate concrete examples and hands-on approach, so I decided to forget all the fancy powerpoints and computer animations and had my presentation mostly relied on a tennis ball ("moon") and a beach ball ("earth"). And it worked!  ;D
(image below, blurred faces...)

Public tours are also planned for this spring, so not just students will get their share of my first class presentational skills...

What worries me now the most however, is that I have a gut feeling Mr. Brown and co. will find that Planet Nine sooner or later, most likely within a year or two. And that means my project will be once again unfinished!  ::)
No, but seriously, I have already plans in place in case there will be Planet Nine to be found. And as this forum is my witness, I shall build even that concrete pillar too and place it on its proper place in my scale model!  :)

OK, that's that. Meanwhile I have also some work in progress with my "Proxima Centauri -add on".
So far, I have not managed to get any significant contacts abroad to help me with this, but I keep on trying still.

Once again I also turn to you my fellow NSF-folks. If any of you have contacts to right people in right places or are yourself willing to actively participate in this, please let me know and send private message.
My primary locations for Proxima Centauri -star would be either in Central Australia, around Yulara/Alice Springs -region or in Central Argentina, around Tunuyan/Mendoza -region. (see maps below)
So, preferably someone from either of those places helping me with this would be great to have.

Offline Oersted

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2897
  • Liked: 4098
  • Likes Given: 2773
Re: Solar System Model (1:3 000 000 000)
« Reply #19 on: 04/08/2018 09:23 pm »
Excellent work K-P! - Very nice that you made a wikipedia page too.

In my astronomy hobby by far the most rewarding aspect has been doing outreach. I'm member of an astronomy club where we often organize telescope nights. Having strangers to astronomy looking through your telescope and being wowed by the craters of the moon and Saturns' rings is a really lovely feeling.

Your outreach work will surely inspire many people to contemplate the size of the solar system and perhaps get into astronomy.

*Thumbs up*!

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0