10-year-old constructs scale model of solar system in Victoria neighbourhood

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WATCH: Our universe has captured the interest of an aspiring astronomer in Victoria. Ceilidh Millar reports.

Nathan Hellner-Mestelman points to his 70 cm cardboard sun he’s created and placed at the intersection of Dallas Road and Cook Street in Victoria.

“Imagine seeing that in the sky,”Hellner-Mestelman said about his model. “It’s so big!”

The 10-year-old’s sun marks the beginning of his latest creation which is truly out of this world. 

“I’m making scale sized planets and then putting them in their correct orbits to scale” Hellner-Mestelman explained.

For his project, he created a homemade surveyor’s wheel and mapped out the distance between each planet to create his solar system model.

“He did a prototype in our neighbourhood that was just along our block,” explained Nathan’s Father, Bryan Mestelman.

“What he didn’t have was the size comparison of the planets and of course doing that you’d have to do it on a much bigger scale so we’re doing that today.”

Starting with his model sun at Dallas Road, the project continues down Cook Street.

Mercury, the first planet, is just a few metres away.

Venus is then 24 metres away.

The model continues through Cook Street Village, where Nathan has put up signs beside each model planet.

“Now the distances get much larger as we wiz through the astro belt,” Hellner-Mestelman explained in a time lapse video he created and narrates.

The final planet of Nathan’s solar system model, Neptune, can be found near Finlayson Street.

“He’s always had a keen interest for astronomy,” Mestelman said about his son.

The entire model runs along Cook Street and is 4.6 kilometres in length.

WATCH BELOW: Nathan’s time lapse video of his solar system project. 

Solar System to Scale

Solar System to Scale

Duration 6m

Ceilidh MillarCeilidh Millar

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