Introduction

The webpages in this section are designed to accompany the proposed scale model of the solar system in Harrogate. Text in red on any page links to pages containing further information.

The model has been designed so that the planets – and the distances between them – are to the same scale. Roughly speaking, the distance from the Sun to the Earth is 70 metres, and the diameter of the  Earth is just over half a centimetre.

The plan is to have three parts to the scale model.

The Walk

Starting with the Sun, which will be placed near to the entrance to Valley Gardens, the walk will take you through the gardens and the Pinewoods, past each of the eight planets, ending with Neptune, near the entrance to Harlow Carr.

The Bigger Picture

The orbits of the planets are (roughly) circular. So duplicates of the planets on the walk will be placed at locations around Harrogate which are the same distance from the Sun as their location on the walk. For example, the orbit of Neptune takes it from Harlow Carr at one end of its orbit, to middle of Bilton Lane at the other end.

The biggest picture

The nearest star to the Sun is Proxima Centauri. To the same scale as the the one used for the solar system in Harrogate, Proxima Centauri would be in New Zealand. A plaque will be placed in Wellington, NZ, to reflect this fact.