Resource 6: A scale model of the solar system

Teacher resource for planning or adapting to use with pupils

PLANETREPRESENTED BYDISTANCE FROM ‘SUN’FOR YOUR MODEL*
MERCURY1 mm poppy seed12 metres12 centimetres
    
VENUS3 mm pinhead23 metres23 centimetres
    
EARTH3 mm pinhead30 metres30 centimetres
    
MARS1.5 mm mustard seed50 metres50 centimetres
    
JUPITER30 mm ball167 metres1.67 metres
    
SATURN30 mm ball300 metres3 metres
    
URANUS10 mm marble600 metres6 metres
NEPTUNE10 mm marble900 metres9 metres
    
PLUTO1 mm poppy seed1.25 kilometres12.5 metres

NB: On this scale, our moon would be slightly smaller than a poppy seed and would be 8 cm from the Earth.

All the sizes and distances are approximations.

For practical reasons, you may wish to use this ‘shortened’ distance scale for your pupils’ model, but you will need to point out that the size of the planets is now disproportionately large.

Resource 5: Solar system – facts and figures