psychohistorian.org
Tagged as:
Astronomy, outreach resources, 3D models.
Published:
2008 July 31
Balloon models
For some time now, Ed & I have been using balloons to demonstrate the relative sizes of things – planets in the solar system, stars in our Milky Way, and so on.
This is much more effective than a table of numbers giving relative dimensions. More importantly, it emphasis the 3D nature of reality: a star with a diameter twice as big as another, has four times the volume – something which a balloon shows very well.
Check out the examples in the gallery below.
Photo gallery
Portable solar system.
Solar system of planetary beads and foam balls and a solar balloon.
Stars – Betelgeuse is the big red balloon while the Sun is on the far left. Do you see it?
Close-up with the Sun on the far left. Do you see it yet?
See it yet?
The Sun – a knot in the fishing line.
/ph
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