Solar System Model

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are the nine planets in the solar system, well before Pluto was determined not to be a planet.  Everyone has to learn the order of the planets in our Solar System in school, but can you visualize how big the solar system is? 



The Cumberland Pennsy Trail Solar System Model stretches three miles from German Church Road in Marion County to Mt. Comfort Rd (CR 700 W) in Hancock County.  The Sun and planets are placed at a 1:1 Billion scale along the trail, with the Sun at German Church Rd.  Pavement markings are situated at each location with an interpretive sign on each of the planets.  The sign content was reviewed by the Center for Planetary & Earth Studies at the National Air & Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

This project was the vision of Parker King and Mark Reynold as a way to help students and adults understand the vast size of our Solar System.  Content for the signs was designed by Dr. Barbara Reger, Warren Township Schools, to meet ISTEP requirements.  This provides an opportunity for educators to use the Solar System Model as part of their lessons plans.  Each sign has general facts on each planet, such as diameter or rotation period, as well as interesting "Fast Facts" and a "Did you know" section.

Do you know which planet is hotter than a desert or which planet has the most natural satellites?  Check out the Solar System Model to find the answers.  This is a great educational and physical activity for families, schools, and other education oriented groups.