![]() ![]() I did a round trip, so I walked the scale model twice - only 3, 999, 999, 998 more times and I can truly say I’ve walked the length of the solar system! That’d be cool if they can give me a badge when that happens. You can drive it for a quick science lesson, or you can walk it if you feel the calling to be a true galactic navigator (and this is the city of ‘gators after all). These plaques are an inherent facet of the educational model. Information plaques adorn each planetary monument. Realize the vastness of the Milky Way by taking a simple walk down 8th Avenue, or travel in light years and sprint through the universe. One of the most out-of-this-world jogs you'll ever take. 9 miles one-way, and even better there’s a park trail (Loblolly Woods? Something like that) around Jupiter that looked promising had we more time. A 4 billion to 1 scale model of the solar system along the sidewalk on NW 8th Avenue. Planetary stats and info is engraved on each monument, with impressive sketches of the mythological namesake gods and some choice quotes - can’t get better than «Gangrene Uranus, ghoul of the heavens.» This was exactly the quirky kind of thing I was hoping to find on my brief stay in Gainesville. The respective monuments stand about 15 feet high with a planet-esque sphere atop it - all of equal size, which was a slight disappointment until I realized a truly scaled Jupiter would take out a streetlight. And 8 th Ave is straight and flat here, so you can aim to see the whole run should you choose (though standing at the sun my eyes gave out around Saturn). The beauty of it is that the planets are installed as a 4-billion (read that in a Carl Sagan voice) to 1 scale model, giving you a glimpse of just how far these planets are from each other. And indeed it IS monumental - the planetary representation of our solar system is a series of monuments starting at the cross section of 34 th St (the Sun) and ending with Pluto at 22 nd (strict astronomical interpreters may end at Neptune, but understand you’re missing out in your understanding of the cosmos). You don’t have to be an explorer to know which of these is more monumental. Gainesville has 8 th Avenue, Avenue Of The Galaxy. New York City has 6 th Avenue, Avenue Of The Americas - big deal. ![]()
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