Eugene, Oregon Solar System Scale Model - Pluto - Solar System Models on Waymarking.com

The original scale model was created in 1990, along a bike path next to the Willamette River, and using nothing but paint. The father and son team responsible gained a level of celebrity from the project, but the paint that they used did not survive the winter, so they decided to try something more permanent.

The new plan was for stainless steel planets on pedestals (with information displays added later), and started construction in the spring of 1995, planning on completion by the end of summer. The actual completion date was late summer of 1997.

The scale originated with the Earth measuring one half inch in diameter. The Sun is four feet six inches in diameter, and is 492 feet from the earth. Pluto is made from a ball bearing, measures 1/10th of an inch in diameter, and resides 3.66 miles downstream from the Sun.

Since the meeting of the IAU in 2006, when Pluto was demoted in a surprisingly political decision, it's display was become much more than simply 'the end of the line'. First the site became a tongue-in-cheek memorial, with a number of people leaving flowers and notes of condolence. Now it has become something of a tradition when visiting Pluto for some astronomy buffs to face east and give a one-finger salute to the IAU. A custom that I cheerfully honored at my visit.

Address: Willamette River Bicycle Path Eugene, Oregon US 97401 To-Scale by distance: yes To-Scale by Size: yes Is the model an Orrery?: no Web Page: [Web Link] Hours: 24/7/365 Admission Fee: 0.00 (listed in local currency)

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/27/2010 TheBeanTeam visited it 03/19/2009 shadow101 visited it

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