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The solar system for the GR-5


THE SOLAR SYSTEM to scale 1mm:1000km

Planet Earth is the third one in order of distance from the Sun of the eight that orbit it. Representing dimensions and distances in the same proportion is always very difficult. The Garraf Park is, however, an ideal setting.

Along the GR5 path as it passes through Garraf you will find a scale representation of the 8 planets. 1 mm actually represents 1,000 kilometers. It is as if we had reduced the Iberian Peninsula to 1 mm. Each step of a meter in length represents a million kilometers. You can either start from Sitges, or from Olesa de Bonesvalls. From the orbit of Neptune, you will approach the Sun, a 1.40 meter sphere located inside the astronomical observatory, next to Can Grau.

On this scale, walking at a normal pace is equivalent to going at a speed almost 5 times that of light, impossible according to the laws of physics. If you want to exactly simulate the speed of light, you need to go at 30 cm / second. How long will it take you to traverse the entire solar system going at that speed?

Where should you place the stars closest to the solar system, for example Alpha Centauri, 4 light years away?

In the following link you will see the entire map with all the milestones

Have a good interplanetary journey!


The planets of the solar system

 

For any incident or comment, please contact the observatory: https://planetari.cat/garraf

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