The Viking Solar System Trail
Trail Overview
Click the
thumbnail image above to view a poster
that provides an overview
of the Viking Solar System Trail.
The Viking Solar System Trail is a scale model of our solar system.
The trail consists of painted disks representing the Sun and each of
the eight planets in our solar system. The trail accurately
represents the relative sizes of the planets, as well as their
relative distances from the Sun. An accurate representation of both
sizes and distances cannot be accomplished in a conventional diagram
because of the difference in scales. For example, the diagram at the
top right accurately depicts the relative sizes but the relative
distances are completely wrong. Similarly, the diagram on the bottom
right accurately depicts relative distances by showing the orbits of
the planets (including the dwarf planets Pluto and Sedna), but the
planets themselves are too small to be visible. The Viking Solar
System trail solves this problem of scales by spreading the solar
system model out over more than 4.3 km (about 2.7 miles) of paved
trail.
The trail represents our solar system on a one billion to one
scale. On the scale of the trail, one light-second (the distance
light travels in one second) is equivalent to about one foot.
For even
more information (about the trail and the Solar System), click on the
thumbnail images below to see
photographs of the planets painted on the trail as well as posters
describing each of the planets. The trail is
maintained by the Berry College Department of Physics, Astronomy, &
Geology. For comments/suggestions, please email Dr. Todd Timberlake.
Trail Map
|
The thumbnail image on the left links to a
map
showing the approximate
location of each planet along the trail. Click the image to see the
full-scale map. |
Trail Photos and Posters
The table below shows photographs of the planets, etc, on the Viking
Solar System Trail, as well as the posters (if available) that we plan
to display for each object.
| Object |
Photo |
Poster |
| Sun |
 |
Poster
Under
Construction |
| Mercury |
 |
 |
| Venus |
 |
 |
| Earth |
 |
 |
| Mars |
 |
 |
| Asteroids (Inner) |
 |
Poster
Under
Construction |
| Asteroids (Outer) |
 |
Poster
Under
Construction |
| Jupiter |
 |
 |
| Saturn |
 |
 |
| Uranus |
 |
 |
| Neptune |
 |
 |
| Beyond the Solar System |
No
Image |
Poster
Under
Construction |