Relative Scale of the Solar System for a “Spacebike” on the Mass. Pike
This table shows the Solar System relative to a common 12 inch globe of the Earth, like those used in school or a library. The Sun is reduced in size to an object as high as a 10 story building, the Moon will exactly the size of a softball. The speed of light is relatively reduced to 16 mph (bikelight speed), about the speed of a fast bike ride. If you can not ride bikelight speed, travel times in this table will be longer. If you can only travel the relative speed of the Space Shuttle, your speed will be the same as the speed of the tip of the minute hand on a 9 inch wall clock. This table shows the relative size, distance and time to travel from the Sun out thru the Solar System.
|
Astronomical Units = 93 million miles |
Dia. Ref' to Earth |
Miles on Mass Pike |
Travel time , at 16 mph Bikelight speed |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0 |
109 |
109 ft |
0 |
0 |
||
|
0.39 |
0.38 |
4.5 “ |
0.86 |
3 min |
||
|
0.72 |
0.94 |
11 ¼ “ |
1.6 |
6 min |
||
|
1 |
1 |
12 “ |
2.2 |
8.3 min |
||
|
-- |
0.27 |
3 ¼ “ |
30 ft |
3 sec |
||
|
1.52 |
0.53 |
6.4 “ |
3.37 |
12.6 min |
||
|
5.2 |
11.2 |
11 ft |
11.5 |
43 min |
||
|
9.5 |
9.4 |
9 ½ ft |
21 |
1 hr 17 min |
||
|
19 |
4.1 |
4 ft |
42 |
1 hr 38 min |
||
|
30 |
3.8 |
3.8 ft |
66 |
2 hr 9 min |
||
|
39.5 |
0.4 |
4 ¾ “ |
87 |
5 hr 28 min |
||
|
158,660 AU = 4.24 light years |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Pedal for 4.24 years |
2.5 times distance to Moon |
|
|
2.2 million light years |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Pedal for 2.2 million years |
Way way way out |
While you are biking down the Mass Pike, consider the latest theories in cosmology, (not related to astrology or cosmetology). Everything in the Universe that you can touch, feel or see (including all energy, like sunshine and gravity) is only about 4% of the known Universe. For the rest, 23% is 'dark matter', (ie unknown matter), and 73% is some unknown energy called 'dark energy' (even more unknown). And if that isn't enough to dwell upon, it appears that the dark energy will cause the our Universe to expand forever, eventually becoming just a black void with no stars, no galaxies, not even any black holes. But then again, maybe not. Recent, more complex M-brane theory predicts an Ekpyrotic type Universe. This theory is the basis for a Cyclic Universe that will start over again after all, and that 'dark matter' and 'dark energy' may not exist, but result from the interaction of a Parallel Universe less than a millimeter away.