The Solar System to Scale

A scale model shrinks the Solar System so that its sizes and distances are easier to imagine. If the Sun were the size of a football, Earth would be a small seed far away, and the nearest star would be many thousands of kilometres away. Scale models show how empty space really is.

Scale models can be built in a park or along a long path, with each planet placed at its correct distance. Walking the model helps people understand the enormous gaps between planets.