To Scale The Solar System

To Scale The Solar System is a film n a dry lakebed in Nevada, by a group of friends who build the first scale model of the solar system with complete planetary orbits: a true illustration of our place in the universe.

A blue marble 1.4 centimeters (about half an inch) across would be a good choice for a scale model Earth. Since the Sun is 109 times the diameter of Earth, a 1.5 meter diameter balloon could represent the Sun. But the distance between the Earth and Sun, 150 million kilometers, would translate to just under 180 meters (590 feet) at the same scale. That would mean the completed project, including the orbits of the outer planets, is probably not going to fit in your backyard. Still, you might find enough room on a dry lakebed.

A film by Wylie Overstreet and Alex Gorosh