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Description

As part of the Cub Astronomy Badge Cubs will make a distance scale only model of the Solar System, (Scale is 40m to Pluto or 1AU is 1m) to help them understand the vast distances of space. This scaled down model also enables you to tell the Cubs how far the nearest Star to our Sun is.

Resources

Attached document giving distances
Images of the Sun, Planets (including Pluto) & Asteroids
Canes
Tape Measure (at least 40m)
Torch
Minimum of 40m of Space

Instructions

Explain to the Cubs that they are going to help build a scaled down version of the Solar System (distance only) to show how big the Solar System is.

Using the attached document of the Sun & Planets Print in either A4 or A5 & attach each image to a cane or something similar.

Start by placing the "Sun" in the ground and using the attached table measure out the required distance and place the "Planets". As an optional extra you could pace a torch by the "Sun" pointing out in the direction of the "Planets" and get the Cubs to observe how the light diminishes the further away you get, explaining this and the heat given off by the Sun determines where life as we know it can exist and that Earth is in the ideal location, any closer & it is to hot and any further away it is to cold

Ask them in they know the name of the nearest Star or Sun to our own Sun and how far they think it is away from us. (details are given in the attached document)

Use the following website to get the closet town to your location https://www.distancecalculator.net/
The distances in metres was taken from here https://www.teachervision.com/solar-system/build-scale-model-solar-system

If you wish to up or down scale use this web site http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemModel.php?obj=Earth&dist=1m&table=y&map=y&stars=y&au=y and enter the scale or distance from the sun you want

Tags

• astronomer - facts
• astronomy
• Planets
• solar system
• space

Badge Links

• Astronomer - Model or draw
• Space - Planets