Discussion Questions - Walking

             1.      Did the position of Mercury surprise you?

 2.      How would the real Sun look from the real Mars compared to how we see the Sun from Earth?

        Smaller and dimmer.

3.      Compare the sizes of the inner and outer planets. 

        Inner planets are generally much smaller than the outer planets.

Outer Planet Questions

            1.      How have we learned so much about the planets?

        Telescopes and spacecraft. 

2.      How fast do you think a spacecraft would travel on this model?

        In our model Solar System, a spacecraft would move an average of 3 cm (1 in.) every 5 hours.

3.      How do distances challenge spacecraft?

        Communication over vast distances, energy supply required fro many years, equipment withstanding extreme cold, etc.

4.      How do these distances limit human space exploration? 

        Astronauts would be away from Earth for years.  Need to grow food on board, have enough fuel, etc.

5.      How would the real Sun look when viewed from the real Mercury vs. from the real Pluto? 

        Bigger and brighter from Mercury.

6.      If we placed the model Sun in Washington, D.C., how far away would the model of the next star Proxima Centauri go? 

        Over 4,000 km, just off the Pacific coast near San Francisco.