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All the United States Maine Houlton Maine Solar System Model
AO Edited

Maine Solar System Model

This massive solar system model is sprawled out across Maine's suburban wilderness.

Houlton, Maine

Added By
sbplama
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Earth and its moon.   pages.umpi.edu
Earth and its moon.   pages.umpi.edu
Jupiter   pages.umpi.edu
Venus   pages.umpi.edu
Pluto   pages.umpi.edu
Venus   spencersaints / Atlas Obscura User
Mercury has fallen   spencersaints / Atlas Obscura User
A ray of sunlight   spencersaints / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Built by the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the space enthusiasts of Aroostook County, the Maine Solar System Model covers the vast expanses of space in just 40 miles of Earth.

A true community construction project, the planetary model of our solar system was created by local high school and technical school students under the university's direction to bring attention to their area. At 1:93,000,000 scale, the model uses sculpted and painted planets on tall poles to map our planetary neighbors.

Beginning with the sun, represented as a giant yellow ring cutting right through the Northern Maine Museum of Science, the model branches out across the rural highways and byways of the state. Each planet is then represented with a scale model installed in representative distances.

Update as of June 2021: Many of the planets have faded and the entire site is in need of restoration. 

Related Tags

Solar System Models Astronomy Roadside Attractions

Community Contributors

Added By

sbplama

Edited By

EricGrundhauser, spencersaints

  • EricGrundhauser
  • spencersaints

Published

February 25, 2014

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  • http://aeon.co/magazine/nature-and-cosmos/driving-the-solar-system-is-a-lesson-in-space-and-time/
Maine Solar System Model
Houlton, Maine, 04730
United States
46.126181, -67.840232
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Hartland Bridge

Hartland, New Brunswick

miles away

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maine

Maine

United States

Places 129
Stories 23

Nearby Places

Hartland Bridge

Hartland, New Brunswick

miles away

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Nackawic, New Brunswick

miles away

Double Eagle II Balloon Site

Presque Isle, Maine

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maine

Maine

United States

Places 129
Stories 23

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