Getting further out on our solar system journey, we come to the dramatically ringed planet. Sitting 9.7 miles from Aroostook County’s model sun in Presque Isle, its diameter here is 51.9 inches but the outer ring extends the diameter to 117 inches – nearly 12 feet.

Of its many moons, only Titan is large enough to be displayed on this scale.

The largest planet in our solar system represents a gap between the cluster of planets closest to the sun and those beyond. At 5.2 miles from our model sun on our astro-scavenger hunt, we’re finally getting some size. This one’s a bit wider than a five-foot arm span – it’s 61.4 inches – like a really big beach ball. And its four largest moons are Io, 1.6 inches; Europa, 1.3; Ganymede, 2.3; and Callisto, 2.1.

Remember, this is a scale of one to 93 million. As inconceivable as that seems.

At 3/8 of an inch in the scaled solar system – that is, a steel ball bearing – this is the largest object in an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The model was erected after the rest of the Aroostook system was in place.

Did you even know about this body? Hate to admit, but I didn’t.

At 1.4 miles from the sun in our scale, Mars is about half the size of Earth and has two moons that are too small to be presented in this display.

The angled post in the crescent, as we were learning, represents the planet’s tilt in its orbit, the major factor that gives us our seasons.

By this point in our drive, we were beginning to catch on to what we were looking before rather than passing by and having to circle about. The game now became who would spot the next stop first.

In our eyes, in the perspective of gazing from Earth, the sun and full moon appear roughly the same size.

Not so in an actual size comparison.

The model, 1½ inches in diameter, is a fiberglass covered golf ball. Remember how big the sun was, back in the science building?

My, what the miles can do.

Exactly a mile from the college, for good reason. The scale for the solar system model is one mile on U.S. 1, befitting the astronomical unit (AU), which is the distance from the earth to the sun. Everything else was then put into relation to that.

The model is 5½ inches.

The display is outside a used-car dealership on U.S. Route 1.

Home, sweet home, right?