The representation of the solar system is made on an anti-stress rubber mat, 860 cm in diameter, representing the Sun. The trajectories of planets are shown on the surface, while the planets are represented by globes of different dimensions placed on specific positions in their orbit. The two largest globes, with a diameter of 70 cm, represent planets Jupiter and Saturn, two globes with a diameter of 60 cm represent Uranus and Neptune, globes with a diameter of 50 cm represent Earth and Venus, and globes with a diameter of 40 cm represent Mercury and Mars. Differences between inner and outer planets of the Solar System as well as relations between planets and the Sun can be observed on the model. Due to large differences in dimensions of the planets and the Sun, as well as great distances between them, models of the Solar System are often made by using different measures to represent the Sun, planets and the distances between them.
- Which are the outer, and which the inner planets of the Solar System? What is the difference between them?
- In what way does the Sun impact the movement of planets?
- Find a globe representing the planet Earth. Stand on the position of Earth and observe which of the planets you can see from the dark side of the Earth. Can we see the planets positioned on the opposite side of the Sun? Which planets can we see at twilight and at dawn?
- The surface representing the Sun has a diameter of 860 cm. Sun’s equatorial diameter is 1.391.016 km. In what scale is the Sun represented? Pay attention to the units of measurement.
- With the help of the scale used in the previous task, calculate the diameter that the globe representing the planet Earth should have.
- The actual average distance from the Sun to Neptune is 4.498.396.441 km. If the entire Solar System was shown in the previously calculated scale, at what distance should we place the globe representing planet Neptune?
