Milleneum Project - Gainesville, GA, USA
Posted by: mobyrne
N 34° 17.953 W 083° 49.597
17S E 239847 N 3798951
Scale model of our solar system, started in early 1998 by the North Georgia Astronomers. Starts with the sun at the city square in Gainesville, GA, and wandering throughout town in a 1:2,000,000,000 scale walking tour with monuments for each body.
Waymark Code: WM66GP
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 04/12/2009
Views: 28
The sun is represented by a polished steel globe mounted on a pedestal at the corner of Main Street and Spring Street SW. This is the SW corner of the town square that contains the Civil War Memorial to fallen Southern soldiers. Across the square diagonally, you find the marble marker for Mercury and then Venus, sponsored appropriately by Bernau University, a traditionally all female institution of higher learning. Then the walk begins. Across the street is Earth and down the road is the marker for Mars, sponsored by the local Riverside Military Academy (traditionally an all-male institution). Now with the "Men are from mars, Women are from Venus" bit out of the way, one can start the hump to the rest of the solar system. The walk winds through pristine parks and walking spaces for almost 2 miles, ending on the banks of Lake Lanier. It is not only an enjoyable walk, but truly presents the concept of scale quite well. Just follow the comets. About 45 minutes northeast of Atlanta, Gainesville is a quaint old Georgia town. Y'all come!
Address: near 200 Spring Street, S.W. Gainesville, GA USA 30501
To-Scale by distance: yes
Is the model an Orrery?: no
Web Page: [Web Link]
Hours: The parks close at dark and open at light, otherwise it is open continuously
To-Scale by Size: Not Listed
Admission Fee: Not Listed
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