Solar system model

The Earth, the Moon, the Sun, and space are concepts students identify early on. The names of the planets quickly follow, along with stars and the reality that the Sun, too, is a star and is the closest star to Earth. Students learn that the Earth is one of eight planets in our solar system, a group of planets that circle the Sun at a set pace and in a predictable elliptical pattern. How do you move beyond these basic concepts in teaching students about the solar system? Despite early awareness of basic astronomy, science related to astronomy, the solar system, and even space beyond, can be difficult for students to comprehend because the scale is so large. Using models and hands-on systems helps students visualize and engage with questions about space and our solar system and brings to life an understanding of Earth as a single planet positioned in a solar system with other planets—and that our solar system is just one such system in the universe. As students model and explore our solar system, they build the framework on which they will expand their understanding of galaxies, our own and others, distances in space, the age of our solar system, the life cycle of stars, the composition of planets, and more. The free STEM lessons and activities below are designed to help educators teach students about the solar system, including the order, size, position, and distances from the Sun of the planets. In learning about the solar system, students explore gravity; differences in ...

Solar System models, especially mechanical models, called If the smaller planets are to be easily visible to the naked eye, large outdoor spaces are generally necessary, as is some means for highlighting objects that might otherwise not be noticed from a distance. The The objects in such large models do not move. Traditional orreries often did move, and some used clockworks to display the relative speeds of objects accurately. These can be thought of as being correctly scaled in time, instead of distance. Permanent true scale models [ ] Many towns and institutions have built outdoor scale models of the Solar System. Here is a table comparing these models with the actual system. Name Location Scale: 1:… Sun dia. Earth dia. Sun–Earth Sun–Pluto Description Actual Solar System 1 1.392Gm 12.76Mm 149.6Gm 5.914Tm 20,000,000 71m 65cm 7,600m 300km permanent; country-wide (begun 1998) Solar System Drive 38,000,000 37m 34cm 4,100m 205km permanent; drivable (est. 1997) Maine Solar System 93,000,000 15m 13.7cm 1,600m 64km permanent; drivable (est.2003) Mont Megantic Dark Sky Reserve Great Solar System 100,000,000 14m 12.4cm 1,450m 57km permanent; drivable (est.2018) Otago Central Interplanetary Cycle Trail 100,000,000 13.91m 12cm 1,496m 59.06km permanent; cyclable (est.2017) Riverfront Museum Solar System 125,000,000 11m 10.0cm 1,200m 47km permanent; drivable (est. 1992?) Vienna Solar System 163,764,706 8.5m 7.78cm 913m 36km under construction since 2018. Physical + Augmented Reality 2...