Scales of the Universe Model
Inspired by the Scales of the Universe exhibit (left) at the American Museum of Natural History, I created a model that illustrates the relative sizes of objects in the universe—ranging from the largest galactic structures to some of the smallest building blocks of matter. The exhibit uses the 87-foot Hayden Sphere planatarium as a central scale reference, with surrounding models representing progressively smaller objects. These models orbit the sphere, allowing direct size comparisons at each scale. For instance, if the sphere stands in for the sun, then the Earth would be about the size of a grapefruit.
I designed a scaled-down version of the exhibit using 20 models that decrease in size by orders of magnitude. In this version, your own height serves as the reference point. For example, if the sun's diameter matched your height, the Earth would appear as shown in the corresponding model. If the Earth’s diameter were your height, then Connecticut would scale to the size depicted. If each previous model was of the scale of you, then the subsequent model is the relative size of that object.
1. The Observable Universe. 2. The Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex: It is one of the largest structures in the universe: a galaxy filament made up galaxy supercluster including the Virgo Supercluster which contains our Milky Way Galaxy. 3. The Local Group: It is a group of over 50 galaxies gravitationally bound together that includes the Milky Way Galaxy and Andromeda. 4. The Milky Way Galaxy: Like other spiral galaxies, the Milky Way has a super massive black hole at the center called Sagittarius A*. Our solar system is located along one of the spiral arms. 5. The Tarantula Nebula: Named after its spider-like appearance, it is the largest and most active star forming region within the Local Group, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy. It is also known as 30 Doradus. 6. Distance from Earth to Alpha Centauri: Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to our solar system. It is a triple star system with two sun-like stars (Alpha Centauri A and B) forming a binary star system with a small red dwarf Proxima Centauri orbiting the pair. Proxima is the closest star to our sun. 7. Light Month: This is the distance light travels in a calendar month, equal to 4.8x10^11 miles. 8. Neptune's Orbital Diameter: Neptune is the furthest planet from the Sun. It is an ice giant whose signature blue color comes from the methane in its atmosphere. One Neptune year is the same as 165 Earth years. 9. Mercury’s Orbital Diameter: Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and is only a little larger than our moon. One Mercury Year is equal to 88 Earth days. 10. The Sun: The Sun is our star and its gravitational field is responsible for the orbits of all the planets in our solar system. 11. Earth: Our home planet, and the only known planet in the universe to support life. 12. Connecticut: The fifth state of the United States of America, Connecticut is home to Yale University. 13. The distance from Union Station to Leitner Observatory: These are the two furthest ends one might walk while at Yale; the edge of Yale’s campus on one end and the train station on the other. 14. Harkness Tower: Yale’s iconic Harkness Tower, located in Branford college, is 216 feet tall, the number of years since Yale’s founding at the time it was constructed. 15. Humans. 16. The Human Eye: An organ responsible for vision. 17. A Liquid Crystal Display pixel: An LCD pixel is the smallest unit of a screen that can be controlled to create an image by varying the intensities of the colors in each pixel. 18. E. coli bacterium: A rod shaped bacteria typically found in the lower intestines producing essential vitamins such as vitamin K. 19. Poliovirus: A highly infectious and causes polio which can now be prevented by the polio vaccine. 20. Water Molecule: Composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, the water molecule is the basis for water, an essential element of life.
Shown on the left are a few examples of the scaled objects I selected: Yale’s Harkness Tower appears on the far left, while the top right features the orbital diameter of Mercury, and the bottom right shows a human eyeball. These examples highlight the diversity of scales represented. For a full list of all 20 models and their descriptions, see below.
This scaled-down exhibit was designed using the CAD software Onshape and 3D printed with a Bambulab P1S printer. Each model is mounted above a base labeled with the object's name and its size in meters. Starting with the observable universe and ending with a water molecule, the exhibit aims to help viewers visualize and appreciate the immense range of scales that make up our universe. It was displayed, along with my ISS orrery (in its middle), at the Yale Center for Engineering Innovation and Design.
