maine solar system model

Wouldn't make a special trip to see but it is neat. Stop at the Houlton rest area to see Pluto and you will grasp how far and how small it really is.

Since it was so spread out, it was a little difficult to know when you were going to see another planet.

Not only are the structures themselves really cool and artistic, but exploring the little towns they're located in, and trying to find them all is really fun, if you have some time on your hands.

Went looking for Maine solar system model Surprise right off US1 We almost drove pass it- check it out !

This is one of only two in the world(the other is in Sweden,I believe)and the only one to scale in terms of both size and distance.It was done by HS students and their teacher.These kids are the future!GREAT stuff and free!It's spread out over 45 miles and you need to be alert for the small planets!

We knew about this scale model and had such fun watching for each planet. We were amazed at how long it took to travel between the outer planets and how fast the inner planets came up. Also amazed at the size difference between the outer and inner planets with the later being about the size of the moons around the outer planets. We stopped to take pictures of each one with us reaching Mercury at dark. It was like we were time traveling to the end of the solar system as we know it with the sun winking out at the end of our journey. I loved the art work on Jupiter. Quite amazing. Bravo to all those who put this together. It was indeed a treasure hunt.

Recently traveled from Presque Isle through Houlton as part of a much longer trip. Even though the Solar System slowed us down some, as we stopped to take a few pictures along the way, it did liven up the ride quite a bit. Of course is is impressive to appreciate the scale of it all (the model itself and the planetary system it portrays) but is also just a classic piece of roadside fun. Why not get your picture taken with Saturn? Especially for the smaller planets it is a kind of roadside hunt that will keep any kid busy as well as older kids such as myself. So this is not a big deal and is unlikely to show up in anyone's bucket list. It appeared to me that the planets could use a little bit of maintenance here and there. But it is very nice, worth knowing about, and something you can tell your friends about after the trip. Thanks to the people who created this model and maintain it.

nice to see all of it as you travel along. go into Univ at Presque isle to see sunbeam and nice little museum there

Until you see the Maine Solar System Model, it is hard to appreciate what the solar system is really like. How empty it is, and how far we are from the other planets. The model shows the sun, nearly 50 feet in diameter, and each planet in proportion to its size and distance from the sun. However you still must imagine that the planets are sprayed out, each along its own orbit at about the distance from the model sun at the University of Maine, Presque Isle. Earth is less than half a foot in diameter and a mile from the sun, while Saturn is nearly 10 miles from the sun and its diameter is 52", as large as many people are in height. Pluto, an inch in diameter, is about 40 miles from the sun. There is a realistic model of each Check out http://pages.umpi.edu/~nmms/solar/ and the images for it on Google.

My sons and I have done this tour of the solar system 3 times now and plan on doing it again at least every 5 years. It's brilliant.

The sun is appropriately located in the Star City of the County while poor demoted Pluto is in the Shiretown. It is always an experience to go from one planet to the next while I frequently drive along Route One to and from the St. John Valley. This Solar System Model cannot be missed along the highway but it is always a challenge to spot the smaller planets along the way. Kudos to those who envisioned and erected this wonderful display for all to become aware of the vastness of our solar system.

Make the Drive North a Blast for the Kids! The solar system helps the children focus on more than electronics. The planet models are great - and are easily seen from the road. You can even get out and visit each one if you would like. Always enjoy seeing the planets when heading north to Presque Isle.

Always wanted to see the model along Rt 1. Starts in Houlton, ends in PI. It's easy to miss the smaller planets, but interesting to see the larger ones. It's very educational and the scale model makes it easier to understand just how huge our solar system is.

This was such a fun activity to do with our older kids (7 and 8) as we were traveling north on Route 1. We picked up the brochure at the Maine Tourist Center and enjoyed stopping at all of the planets along the way. The kids learned a lot about our solar system and had fun doing it. (As a teacher...I can't ask for anything more!)

I had no idea this was there and it's a bit of a treasure hunt... go to their website and see where all of the stops are: http://pages.umpi.edu/~nmms/solar/I happened upon the Saturn model and had to pull a U-turn to view it up close. SO COOL. I was surprised to find it and am eager to see more! I found the Jupiter model but the others I missed. After getting to Presque Isle I looked up the website and found where the other stops were. Totally going hunting for the other planets!