(Nearly) Scale Model of the Solar System on the LAX Field

PLEASE NOTE: There is one significant (and purposeful) error in the scaling of this model. Please watch all the way to the end of the video (@ the 7:45 mark), read the video description below, and/or the various responses to comments on this video! Enjoy!

I teach Astrophysics at Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, California) and this video was made for my students as an introduction to the structure and scale of the Universe. This video attempts to illustrate what a full scale model of the Solar System might look like. The size of the Sun and the planets shown relative to each other are quite accurate. And the relative spacing of the distances shown are quite accurate. BUT, the scale used for the sizes and the scale used for the distances are NOT the same. What would they have to be if it were a TRULY scale model of the Solar System (go to the 7:45 mark in the video)?

For a nice "grande finale" to this video, I recommend this video from National Geographic. I always show it to my students after walking them through our "not quite" scale model on the field to show them what a FULL SCALE model of the Solar System would have to look like:
   • Видео  

You might also enjoy my other video describing what a scale model of the ENTIRE observable Universe would look like:
   • Scale Model of the Universe (Specks o...