[HN Gopher] The Sweden Solar System
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       The Sweden Solar System
        
       Author : e_proxus
       Score  : 267 points
       Date   : 2021-03-11 14:02 UTC (8 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.swedensolarsystem.se)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.swedensolarsystem.se)
        
       | davidrm wrote:
       | there's one in my hometown (Zagreb) as well!
       | 
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Views
       | 
       | Here's some blogpost with nice pictures
       | 
       | https://punkufer.dnevnik.hr/galerija/gdje-se-u-zagrebu-nalaz...
        
         | didymospl wrote:
         | I was just going to write that there's one in Zurich too
         | (https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/sport/planet-trail located in
         | a very enjoyable area, highly recommend) but thanks to your
         | wikipedia link I found a comprehensive list of them:
         | 
         | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System_model
         | 
         | Looks like Sweden's model is in fact the largest in the
         | world(that is apart from the original)
        
       | sandworm101 wrote:
       | >> Pluto and Charon are supported by two tomb-like pillars
       | reminding of the mythological meaning of Pluto (Hades), the god
       | of the underworld.
       | 
       | And if anyone even thinks about removing that monument I will
       | lead a total boycott of all Swedish educational institutions.
       | 
       | In all seriousness, public art is how science and government
       | present ideas. How planets are depicted, or not, modifies public
       | behavior and thinking towards science. I do not want to see
       | public art be used to promote one team of scientists over
       | another[1] as they fight for naming rights to objects. The
       | Swedish Solar System seems to have taken a very neutral stance on
       | naming conventions, addressing most objects only by given name.
       | It should stay that way.
       | 
       | [1] "Planetary scientists" v. "Astronomers" as to who gets to
       | classify objects. It is two increasingly different teams.
        
       | josefresco wrote:
       | There's one in northern Maine along Route 1 from Houlton to
       | Presque Ise. Very cool, I annoy the kids with my excitement every
       | time.
        
         | InitialLastName wrote:
         | My favorite part of that one is the tiny Pluto IIRC mounted on
         | a plaque on a rest stop wall.
        
         | zachbeane wrote:
         | It extends to Topsfield. At the intersection of Route 1 and
         | Route 6 there's a model of Eris.
        
       | mayormcmatt wrote:
       | Two years ago I visited Stockholm and rode a borrowed bike from
       | the Sun (Globen) out to Mars (Morby Centrum) and visited all the
       | planets along the way. Life goal is to do the entire thing.
       | 
       | Trip only took a few hours and there are plentiful bike lanes to
       | reach that far. Along the way, or on the way back, check out the
       | Hagaparken, Natural History Museum, and campus of Stockholm
       | University.
        
         | specialist wrote:
         | I don't understand the Jupiter model, as shown. Not that it
         | needs to make sense to me.
         | 
         | It'd be super cool to have multiple depictions of each planet.
         | Like all the school kids along Mars' orbit could all make their
         | own Mars.
        
           | SamBam wrote:
           | I get the impression that few of the planets are necessarily
           | considered permanent installations, but rather sculptures
           | that may get replaced over time.
           | 
           | > Jupiter was for many years represented by an arrangement of
           | flowers outside Sky City at Arlanda Airport. In may 2019 a
           | new model was inaugurated in Hotel Clarion connected to Sky
           | City. The model is in the form of a shining ring
        
       | peteretep wrote:
       | I hadn't appreciated that Saturn is almost twice as far from the
       | Sun as Jupiter is, or how far out Uranus and Neptune are. Here's
       | another representation (although obviously the planet sizes are
       | way wrong): https://fineartamerica.com/featured/solar-system-
       | distances-t...
        
         | SamBam wrote:
         | The spacing of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune actually
         | seem quite natural in that image. It's the cluster of tiny
         | rocks near the sun that distorts our perception!
        
         | ggaughan wrote:
         | I think there's an under-appreciated pattern to the distances:
         | https://wordloosed.com/the-planets
        
         | horsburgh wrote:
         | New Zealand has one too:
         | https://www.otagocentralrailtrail.co.nz/ride/an-interplaneta...
         | 
         | It's hundred million to one, so the scale speed of light is a
         | little under 3 m/s (10.8 kmh). So at a very comfortable cycling
         | speed you're moving at twice the speed of light. Exactly as
         | AnIdiotOnTheNet says you get through the inner planets in no
         | time flat but it takes forever to get through the outer ones.
        
         | AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote:
         | We have something similar here in my home town, at a smaller
         | scale [0], along local bike paths. You get from the sun to Mars
         | in what seems like no time at all, but the distance from
         | Neptune to Pluto is a little over 2/5ths of the entire ride.
         | 
         | [0] 200M:1 http://www.spaceplace.wisc.edu/planettrek.htm
        
         | arethuza wrote:
         | "If the Moon were only 1 Pixel" gives a good sensation of the
         | distances through the medium of scrolling:
         | 
         | https://joshworth.com/dev/pixelspace/pixelspace_solarsystem....
         | 
         | Edit: Notice the option to travel at lightspeed.... this isn't
         | quite as exciting as you might think.
        
           | marshmallow_12 wrote:
           | wow. you get a lot more respect for gravity after seeing
           | that. basically, in empty space, i could exert an influence
           | on a bottlecap 10,000 miles away. or something like that, the
           | numbers are entirely irrelevant.
        
           | lovecg wrote:
           | Except if you could really approach lightspeed the distances
           | would approach zero, so there's that.
        
             | arethuza wrote:
             | Time dilation as well, which probably helps ;-)
        
       | bloodorange wrote:
       | Melbourne has one too:
       | http://thenomadicexplorers.com/sites/default/files/users/65/...
       | 
       | (Not as big as the one in Sweden though)
        
         | mncharity wrote:
         | > Not as big as the one in Sweden though
         | 
         | Not as big? Meh. It's a Megameter per millimeter! Yay![1] :)
         | 
         | [1]
         | http://www.clarifyscience.info/assets/2017-Atoms/assets0/r/1...
         | Old user test video I did - Powers of Ten-like, but with 3
         | order-of-magnitude chunking. Crufty source:
         | http://www.clarifyscience.info/part/Atoms#how-to-remember-si...
        
       | madspindel wrote:
       | Never heard of this before - amazing!
       | 
       | /a swede
        
         | rmdsnd wrote:
         | Same here, and neither did my gf even though we've both been
         | there and spent a good +30 years a residents of Sweden. Really
         | cool!
        
       | h1fra wrote:
       | amazing idea
        
       | chromaton wrote:
       | One in Gainesville, Georgia, USA:
       | https://www.exploregeorgia.org/gainesville/entertainment/tou...
        
       | Delk wrote:
       | Apparently there are lots of these kinds of things around the
       | world. I never knew that.
       | 
       | There's one in the Helsinki area in Finland as well:
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pajam%C3%A4ki_Solar_System_Sca...
       | 
       | The funny thing is that its most central parts (the Sun and the
       | inner planets) are in the least central location, in a wooded
       | area in the suburbs, close to an industrial zone. Many other
       | similar models seem to have placed the planetary monuments in
       | public buildings or plazas. Helsinki? Yeah, we'll place it in the
       | middle of the woods next to a bunch of garages.
       | 
       | (The reason for the location of the Sun might actually be that,
       | according to the Wikipedia article, the model was designed by an
       | amateur astronomer who has had his own observatory in the area.
       | The model of Sun is also on a hill, which is nice and might make
       | it more visible from further away except that, you know, it's not
       | actually emitting a ridiculous amount of light.)
        
         | dgritsko wrote:
         | There's one with a 1 to 10 billion scale in Washington, D.C.
         | The sun is located just outside the Air and Space Museum. Well
         | worth your time to check out!
         | 
         | https://www.jeffreybennett.com/model-solar-systems/voyage-sc...
        
       | marshmallow_12 wrote:
       | -Mars is connected to a plate in steel symbolizing the Earth.
       | 
       | ?
        
       | galago wrote:
       | Eugene, Oregon, USA http://members.efn.org/~jack_v/
        
       | ZeljkoS wrote:
       | There are many of them around the world, maybe even near you:
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System_model#Scale_model...
       | 
       | I live in Zagreb, Croatia, and we have "Nine Views":
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Views
        
       | simplecto wrote:
       | I'm shocked how many Swedes (and Stockholmers in particular)
       | don't know this.
       | 
       | They just think that Globen (the Sun) is just a big spherical
       | venue.
       | 
       | EDIT - but to be fair there is also a surprising lack of signage
       | or announcement that such a thing exists.
        
         | JKCalhoun wrote:
         | Stayed in a hotel near the Ericsson Globe. No clue.
         | 
         | When I saw the tiny Venus (or was it Mercury?) on a pedestal in
         | downtown Stockholm, I suspected something was up.
        
         | rob74 wrote:
         | I don't think it was built this way with the intention to
         | symbolize the Sun. Making it the center of a model Solar System
         | was probably more of an afterthought (although a really cool
         | one).
        
         | TorKlingberg wrote:
         | I mean, it is a big spherical venue. Representing the Sun is
         | more of a secondary use.
        
         | capableweb wrote:
         | I mean, it's not super weird to see a globe structure somewhere
         | and assume it's just a globe without being part of some
         | elaborate country-wide solarsystem. Here is a tiny list of some
         | more, but I'm sure there exists 1000s more around the world:
         | https://second.wiki/wiki/liste_kugelfc3b6rmiger_bauwerke
        
           | bellyfullofbac wrote:
           | Well, if it was empty then it would be strange, but it's a
           | venues hall for concerts, etc., and people could've just
           | thought it's just the architects being creative.
        
         | spurgu wrote:
         | Globen just means literally "the globe".
        
       | gardenerofwine wrote:
       | Someone also built a scale model of the solar system in the
       | desert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj4524AAZdE
        
         | GuB-42 wrote:
         | Cody put a few solar system objects on a stadium, with
         | distances to scale, the sun is represented by a pea. He then
         | proceeds to drive cross country to put on the closest stars.
         | 
         | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCSIXLIzhzk
        
       | smusamashah wrote:
       | How true to scale is it?
        
       | mannylopez wrote:
       | Peoria, Illinois has one too and claims the "world's most
       | complete large-scale model of the Solar System. The scale factor
       | is 99,000,000:1, covering 6,000 square miles of Central
       | Illinois."[0] and you can "become a part of the world's most
       | complete large scale model of the Solar System by purchasing an
       | Unnamed Comet Plaque in the Peoria Riverfront Museum Store.
       | Unnamed comet plaques are located on all seven continents,
       | stretching as far north as Barrow, Alaska, and as far south as
       | South Pole Station, Antarctica."[1]
       | 
       | [0] https://www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/dome-
       | planetarium/comm...
       | 
       | [1] https://www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/dome-
       | planetarium/comm...
        
       | philbert101 wrote:
       | This is super cool! I've lived in Stockholm for almost 15 years
       | and I had no idea about this.
       | 
       | Just for fun I plotted the route on google maps. I have my doubts
       | I'll be able to convince my wife this is a worth-while road
       | trip...
       | 
       | https://goo.gl/maps/TYTSnCVA9Vi8s4MMA
        
         | anticristi wrote:
         | Feels like part of the "hidden gems" tour. I live in Sweden for
         | 8 years. I've been to an observatory and planetarium. I
         | regularly visited Stockholm. I asked friends in arts. Nobody
         | seems to know about this.
         | 
         | Kind of embarrassing to find out about the SSS from HN.
        
         | jb1991 wrote:
         | Unrelated, but what do you think of Stockholm after 15 years?
         | What part of the world were you coming from before you moved
         | there?
        
           | philbert101 wrote:
           | Stockholm was my first love at first sight. I moved here in
           | 2006 after a particularly long and cold winter. The day I
           | arrived, it was a bright blue sunny sky, with a temperature
           | just around freezing. I walked around these incredibly
           | beautiful snow covered islands and over the frozen lake
           | malaren. I almost crossed over the ice between the islands of
           | sodermalm to kungsholmen, about 300 meters or so, but I
           | chickened-out about half way through and turned back. I could
           | have made it. There were fresh tracks from other people who
           | had made it across that I was following. I've never seen the
           | lake in kind condition since - Just one of the small regrets
           | in life.
           | 
           | I work in IT and Stockholm has been fantastic for my career.
           | The Scandinavian countries are well-known for their advanced
           | digitalization. Being a foreigner with a particularly non-
           | Swedish approach to problem solving has helped me a great
           | deal.
           | 
           | I grew up in Australia but I've also lived and worked in
           | London, Copenhagen and Singapore. One of the things I learned
           | after living in as many places as I have, is that it's as
           | personal as your taste in music, or food, or anything else.
           | 
           | Stockholm and Sweden is not without it's problems though.
           | Immigration is screwed up, taxes are high, and there are
           | parts of the city I avoid. But no where is perfect. I know
           | the problems here and I prefer them to the problems I've had
           | living in other places.
        
             | hycaria wrote:
             | Poetic anecdote, really enjoyed it.
             | 
             | Immigration is screwed in what way ?
        
           | dehrmann wrote:
           | I only spent a few months there, but I usually tell people
           | it's a hard city to hate.
        
           | null_object wrote:
           | Been here 20 years. Like Stockholm, hate Stockholm_ers_
           | 
           | Knew about the solar system model though.
        
         | nixy wrote:
         | You should definitely be able to convince her this is a road
         | trip to take! On the way you will pass the lovely Virgin coast
         | archipelago as well as be able to visit the UNESCO world
         | heritage sites Decorated Farmhouses of Halsingland and the High
         | Coast. Go for the road trip!
        
         | lukego wrote:
         | Yeah this is great right! We stumbled on Halley's Comet at the
         | local science museum here in Skovde and it'll really spice up
         | travel around Sweden for the kids a bit.
        
         | [deleted]
        
       | AdamN wrote:
       | Would be sweet if they had the Voyager spacecrafts too.
        
       | moh_maya wrote:
       | There's one in Ithaca, NY (home of Cornell univ) as well. It's
       | spread over 1.2 km, and is just a fun walk. [1]
       | 
       | Ithaca is just such a wonderful place to live, winters included!
       | 
       | [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagan_Planet_Walk
        
       | bluesmoon wrote:
       | Also in the Boston Area. The sun, Mercury and Venus are in the
       | Museum of Science. Earth is supposed to be in the Royal Sonesta
       | hotel, but I believe it was moved to clean the area and never put
       | back. Mars is in the Galleria mall, Jupiter is at South Station,
       | and the rest of the planets are much further out. More details at
       | https://www.bostoncentral.com/activities/landmarks/p1018.php
        
         | jetrink wrote:
         | > Earth is supposed to be in the Royal Sonesta hotel, but I
         | believe it was moved to clean the area and never put back.
         | 
         | Ha, that is straight out of a Douglas Adams book.
        
         | natdempk wrote:
         | Sadly it seems like a few of them are missing these days from
         | the Boston equivalent:
         | https://gregcookland.com/wonderland/2018/02/09/community-sol...
        
       | mormegil wrote:
       | One in Prague (CZ):
       | https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/9092952
        
       | maxekman wrote:
       | There is also a model in and around the natural history museum in
       | Gothenburg, Sweden. Some of the planets are close to some really
       | good MTB trails in the nearby forest Anggardsbergen!
       | 
       | https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6teborgs_Naturhistoriska...
        
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