Solar system ambassadors are space enthusiasts who volunteer to organize or attend community events where they talk about recent discoveries and upcoming milestones in space science, and future NASA missions. Featured topics include Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Earth, asteroids, comets, the sun and the universe.
Solar System Walk Comes to Ventnor Boardwalk
If you are interested in planetary science, you can experience a scaled down representation of the Solar System while walking along the Ventnor City Boardwalk.
Starting July 3rd, “The Solar System Planetary Walk” is an educational, half-mile track that depicts a fairly accurate representation of the planets in relation to size and distance from the sun and other planets.
The walk starts at the “Sun”, on the boardwalk behind the Ventnor Community Center between New Haven and Newport Ave. and heads towards Atlantic City, ending at Oxford Ave. Boardwalk strollers can walk the 3.6 billion miles it will take to get to Pluto in just a half-mile at this scale.
Along the way, signs with fun facts representing each planet (including Pluto) are placed at the appropriate scaled distance from the sun.
Planetary posters mark the positions of the planets in relation to the sun.
Earth in relation to the size of the sun.
At a scale of 1 inch equaling 100,000 miles, the sun will only be 8-1/2 inches in diameter while earth is the size of a peppercorn or about 3/16 of an inch. The 93 million miles from the sun is reduced to just 78 feet.
The scale as laid out along the boardwalk will give boardwalk strollers an idea of how immense space really is and how far apart the planets really are from the sun and to each other.
The planets are laid out to scale along the Ventnor Boardwalk. Notice the distance between planets increase as they get farther from the sun.
The project is a collaboration of Sustainable Downbeach member Steve Jasiecki and NASA Solar System Ambassador Michelle Stella Riordan.
Jasiecki thought the boardwalk, with its clear line of sight would be a great spot for the project where people can envision the solar system while taking a leisurely stroll. He reached out to his friend Michelle (a local photographer), who along with being a NASA Solar System Ambassador is a S.T.E.M. facilitator with the Egg Harbor Township Police Activities League (EHT PAL). Michelle liked the idea and saw how well it ties in with her S.T.E.M. projects.
“It’s hard to wrap your head around the scope of the solar system”, Riordan said. “Textbook versions are mere representations of the planets and can be misleading”. “The Solar System Walk allows people, especially kids, to better visualize just how far the planets are in relation to size and distance from one another. This will help people have a better understanding of just how big the solar system is.
A kickoff informational tour walk was held on Saturday July 3rd at 10 am where Michelle and Steve will be your guide to the Solar System.
For further information about the Solar System Walk or to schedule an activity, contact Michelle Riordan at: michelle.stella.394@gmail.com
Shore Local Magazine Article https://issuu.com/makf/docs/localshore_166_lu_mainland_web
Downbeach.com Article
https://www.downbeach.com/2021/07/04/our-solar-system-display-premiers-on-ventnor-boardwalk/
