The Swedish Solar System

 

 

The Ericsson Globe seats 13,850 hockey fans, and at 110 meters in diameter, the large white ball is also the largest hemispherical building in the world.   It is also the Sun — in a country-wide scale model of the Solar System.

Located 7,600 meters from the Ericsson Globe is the 65 centimeter in diameter model of the Earth, pictured above.  The size of the model, and its distance from the Ericsson Globe (it’s located in the Swedish Museum of Natural History), are proportional to the Earth itself and its distance from the actual Sun.

Throughout Sweden, you’ll find models of the other seven planets as well, each in correct proportional distance the Ericsson Globe “Sun” and in proper relative size.  Joining the Sun and Earth in Stockholm are Mercury, Venus, and Mars; Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Venus are in cities throughout the Baltic coast.  (Want a map?  Here.)  There are also models of dwarf planets such as Pluto and Sedna (pictured here) and even a few comets.

All together, the 1:20 million scale-model of the galaxy is the world’s largest; by way of example, the Pluto model is over 180 miles from the Ericsson Globe.

Bonus fact: Somerset, England boasts a more manageable model solar system, the Somerset Space Walk.  At a scale of 1:530 million, Pluto is merely (?) a 6.8 mile walk from the Sun.

From the Archives: Space Needles: 480 million miniature pieces of metal, shot into space.

Related: A model solar system, made into a mobile.  $75 and change, with good reviews.