Transcript Slide 1

Just how big is big?
To do this, we need to make a
model.
Start with the Solar System.
We’ll let one inch equal 1,000,000
miles.
Using this scale, our Sun would
be about .9” in diameter.
Source – Solar Dynamic Observatory
The nearest planet, Mercury, is
36,000,000 miles away from the
Sun.
On our scale, Mercury would be
36” (3 feet) from the Sun.
Source – MESSENGER Mission Website
The next planet, Venus, is
67,000,000 miles away from the
Sun.
On our scale, Venus is 67 inches
(5’ 7”) from the Sun.
Source – JPL Photo Journal Website
The next planet is Earth. It is
93,000,000 miles from the Sun.
On our scale, the Earth is 93
inches (7’ 9”) away from the Sun.
Source – MESSENGER Mission Website
Mars is next on our journey. It is
141,000,000 miles from the Sun.
On our scale,
Mars is 141
inches (11’ 9”)
away from the
Sun.
Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website
How long would it take to call
Mars?
The asteroids average about
293,000,000 miles from the Sun.
On our scale, the asteroids would
be (24’ 5”) from the Sun.
Source – Astronomy Picture of the Day, April 13, 1998
Jupiter is the first of the outer gas
giants. It is 484,000,000 miles
from the Sun.
On our scale, Jupiter
would be 484 inches
(40’ 4” – 13 yards) away
from the Sun.
Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website
Saturn follows Jupiter. It is
886,000,000 miles from the Sun.
On our scale, Saturn is 886 inches
(73’ 10” – 24 yards) from the Sun.
Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website
Uranus is next at 1,800,000,000
miles away from the Sun.
On our scale, Uranus is 1,800
inches (150’ – 50 yards) from the
Sun.
Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website
Neptune is last planet. It is
2,800,000,000 miles away from
the Sun.
It is 2,800 inches
(233’ 4” –
78 yards) away from
the Sun.
Source – JPL Photojournal Website
The dwarf planet Pluto is
4,600,000,000 miles away from
the Sun.
On this scale, Pluto is 4,600
inches (383’ 4” – 137 yards) from
the Sun.
Source – JPL Photojournal Website
The farthest dwarf planet, Eris,
can be as far as 12,700,000,000
miles from the Sun.
On our scale, Eris
would be 12,700”
(1,058’ – 352
yards - .2 of a
mile) from the
Sun.
Source – Astronomy Picture of the Day, June 19, 2007
The nearest star to the Earth,
Alpha Centauri is 4.3 light years
(26,000,000,000,000 miles) from
the Sun.
On our scale,
Alpha Centauri
would be
26,000,000 inches
(410 miles) away
from the Sun.
Source – EarthSky Website
410 miles from
Brigham City would
be near the Four
Corners area.
Source – Geology.com
We now need a new scale. Let the
Solar System be the size of an
Oreo cookie.
Source – Portrait of the Universe
On the Oreo scale, the Milky Way
Galaxy would be the size of North
America.
Source – Portrait of the Universe
The black hole at the center of the
Milky Way would be in the middle
of Kansas.
Source – Portrait of the Universe
Virtual Voyage Through the
Milky Way.
Catching a Glimpse of the
Milky Way.
What is Between the Stars?
On the Oreo scale, the Andromeda
Galaxy (2,200,000 light years
away) would be 55,000 miles away
from the Milky Way.
That is 20% of
the way to the
Moon.
Source – Universe Today Website
On the Oreo scale, the universe
would be about would equal about
510,000,000,000,000 miles (510
trillion miles or a diameter of
about 84 light years!).
Source – Hubble Space Telescope Website
Where is the Center of the
Universe?
What Happens When
Galaxies Collide?
Andromeda/Milky Way
Collision
Interstellar Trip Planner
So, to answer our original
question, space is huge!
Here are things in the
universe from small to large!
Earth
Sun
Solar System
Milky Way (a galaxy)
A Cluster of Galaxies
Universe (everything!)
The
presentation
ends here.