ABOUT THE MODEL
FIND THE SUN
SCALE THE MODEL
LOCATE THE PLANETS
Our solar system is spread out across a vast area of space. The sizes of the planets and the distances between them are difficult to comprehend. When we are used to measuring in earthly distances, such as metres and kilometres, it isn't easy to grasp the literally astronomical distances that define our solar system.
The Naas Solar System is a model that will scale down the Sun, the planets and the distances between them to something that you can more easily relate to. It will reduce the Earth to the size of something you can hold in your hand, and allow you to travel to the Sun, at walking pace, in just a few minutes. You can even find yourself travelling at the speed of light if you're up to a brisk walking pace!
If the "Big Ball" at Naas represents the Sun, then what size will the planets be in the model and where will they be located? The model will help you find those locations.
Now that the model representation of the Sun is known, all other measurements of distance and planet size can be modelled from that.
The first step is to decide what object will represent the Sun in the model. This is where the town of Naas is relevant. The model will use the famous "Big Ball" at the M7 junction in Naas as the representation of the Sun.