By Ed Downs

Even with a modest amateur telescope, one can see unimaginable distances and travel through nearly endless time. Distance numbers that are simply difficult to picture in a visual manner sometimes challenges even the pros. Units of measurement, like miles, kilometers, lunar units, astronomical units, light years, parsecs, kilo parsecs and many more are used to describe the vastness of our universe with modest success.  Spacecraft have now reached planets as close as Mars, and as far away as Pluto, but what is the real relative distance being traveled to visit our closest planetary neighbors?  Most classroom models of our tiny solar system show the planets as being equally spaced as they circle the sun. The fact is, if made to scale, some classroom models would take up several city blocks.

This writer was recently gifted a terrific book, The Total Skywatcher’s Manual, authored by Linda Shore and David Prosper, both representing the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. This is an absolutely “must have” book for any individual who wants to know more about all things astronomical, written in a fun and entertaining manner and filled with incredible illustrations. It is divided into multiple, short chapters of information, with “Chapter 110” teaching one how to construct a proportionally correct model of our solar system. This is a real revelation and great fun for both adults and kids. Follow along as The Total Skywatcher’s Manual gives you a perspective that is jaw dropping.