Central Illinois Community Solar Model - Jupiter - Peoria, IL - Solar System Models on Waymarking.com

In Peoria, within the Peoria International Airport terminal, is this model of Jupiter, part of the Central Illinois Community solar system.

The globe of Jupiter can be found in the ticketing area of the terminal, on the right as you enter the main doors. It is suspended above eye level, near the far corner.

The globe is a large sphere, with a detailed rendering of the clouds, and a clear plastic extension representing the ring of Jupiter. At floor level is a sign that has the following text:

"You have reached the planet
JUPITER

Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun (0.5 billion miles), is both the biggest and fastest rotating planet. It is more than twice as massive as the rest of the planets combined, more than 1,300 Earths could fit within Jupiter. Jupiter is also known for the Great Red Spot, a giant storm that has raged for at least 300 years. Three Earths could fit side-by-side within it. Its year is 12 Earth years.

Jupiter is a gas giant, meaning that it's composed of primarily hydrogen and helium, not unlike our Sun. In fact, scientists estimate that if Jupiter were around 80 times more massive, it would be capable of sustaining nuclear fusion in its core and blur the line between gas planet and brown dwarf (a failed star).

Jupiter has a vast array of natural satellites. in 1609, Galileo discovered the four largest: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. By 1979, Jupiter was thought to have 13 moons. By 2012, astronomers confirmed 67 moons. You can see the 'Galilean Moons' easily with binoculars or a small telescope.

Jupiter's ring system was discovered by Voyager I. The ring system has three components. The 'Main' ring (~4,300 miles wide) encompasses the orbits of two small moons, Adrashea and Metis, which may be the source of the dust that makes up most of the ring. At its inner edge the main ring merges gradually into the 'Halo.' The halo is a faint region of material extending down to the planet's cloud tops. Just outside the main ring is the broad and exceedingly faint 'Gossamer' ring. All of the rings consist of very find, very dark dust particles. In the model, the clear plastic sheet represents the general region of the rings, but not the ring particles themselves. The small amount of dust that has settled on the sheet is a good approximation of the actual ring particles."

After that is a statement about the sponsors.

Below is a general statement:

"The Central Illinois Community Solar System is a scale model with both size and distance to the same scale (99,000,000:1) The 46' Sun is on the Sun Plaza at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Learn more at PeoriaRiverfrontMuseum.org"

Address: Peoria Downing International Airport Terminal 6100 W. Everett McKinley Dirksen Parkway Peoria, IL United States of America 61607 To-Scale by distance: yes To-Scale by Size: yes Is the model an Orrery?: no Web Page: [Web Link] Hours: Terminal Hours, Generally daily, 8-8 Admission Fee: 0.00 (listed in local currency)

Visit Instructions:
To post a visit to a solar system model, please include at least one picture of the model, preferably from a different perspective from the other photos already taken. You and/or your GPS unit need not be in it. More photos are encouraged. Please also describe your visit in the log. If you cannot take a photo, then please describe your visit well enough so that readers can form a "mental picture".

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Date Logged Log User Rating   08/19/2017 NorStar visited it