In the SI unit system, the Moon has an equatorial diameter of 3,475.0 km [6]. It is the proposal that a “space meter (sp.m)” is equal to a hundred times the three thousand four hundred and seventy-six kilometers. In other words, we have shrunk the Moon to the size of a marble between our fingers, having a diameter of one space-centimeter. The analogy will be a fundamental dimension for a better understanding planets’ sizes and the solar system. Table 1 lists diameters and their distances from the sun in the “space-meter” unit with upper and lower multipliers.
Table 1
Perception of the lengths in space based on the Moon's equatorial diameter, one space-meter (SI unit system) [9]
Definition: The equatorial diameter of the Moon is equal to 3475 km |
Assumption: One space-meter (sp.m) equals a hundred times the Moon’s equatorial diameter of 3,475.0 km |
Celestial bodies | Diameters in the unit of “space-centimeter” (sp.cm) | Diameters in the unit of “space-meter” (sp.m) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-meter” (sp.m) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-kilometer” (sp.km) |
Moon* | 1.00 | 0.010 | 1.1100 | 0.0011 |
Mercury | 1.40 | 0.014 | 166.6 | 0.167 |
Venus | 3.48 | 0.035 | 311.4 | 0.311 |
Earth | 3.67 | 0.037 | 430.5 | 0.431 |
Mars | 1.95 | 0.020 | 656.1 | 0.656 |
Jupiter | 41.15 | 0.411 | 2240.3 | 2.240 |
Saturn | 34.69 | 0.347 | 4120.9 | 4.121 |
Uranus | 14.71 | 0.147 | 8250.4 | 8.250 |
Neptune | 14.25 | 0.143 | 12992.8 | 12.99 |
Pluto** | 0.6837 | 0.00684 | 16996.8 | 17.00 |
Sun | 400.4 | 4.004 | NA | NA |
*Significant to Earth **Dwarf planet |
To cite an instance, when the diameter of the Moon is equal to one space-centimeter (1 sp.cm), the diameter of Earth becomes three and sixty-seven hundredths of a space-centimeter (3.67 sp.cm), that of Jupiter equals 41.15 sp.cm and Pluto becomes about 0.7 sp.cm or seven space-millimeter (7 sp.mm). The Moon is one hundred and eleven space-centimeter (111 sp.cm) or one and eleven-hundredths space-meter (1.11 sp.m) far from Earth. The Sun has a diameter of 400.0 sp.cm or equal to 4.0 sp.m. Earth is 430.5 sp.m or 0.4305 space-kilometer (sp.km) far from the Sun, equivalent to one astronomical unit (1 au). Mercury is about 167 meters of space (sp.m) far from the Sun, and Mars is 656 sp.m far. The next planet, Jupiter, is 2240 sp.m or 2.24 space kilometers (sp.km) far from the Sun. Neptune is 13 sp.km, and Pluto is 17 sp.km far from the Sun.
In the English unit system, the Moon has an equatorial diameter of two thousand hundred and sixty miles (2160 mil) [7]. It is the proposal that one “space-yard” (sp.yard) is equal to one hundred and forty-four (144) times the two thousand one hundred and sixty miles (2160 mil). We have shrunk the Moon to the size of a bit of marble, having a diameter of one-quarter of an inch. In Table 2, the planets’ diameters and distances from the Sun are listed in space-feet units with upper and lower multipliers.
Once the diameter of the Moon is accepted as a quarter of a space-inch (1/4 sp.inch), the diameter of Earth becomes 0.92 sp.inch, that of Jupiter equals 10.29 sp.inch, and Pluto becomes about 0.17 sp.inch. With the assumption, the Sun has a diameter of 50 sp.inch or equal to 4.17 space-feet (sp.ft). The distance between Earth and the Moon becomes about 0.7687 space-yard (sp.yard). Earth is 299.1 sp.yard or 0.17 space-mile (sp.mile) far from the Sun, equivalent to one astronomical unit (1 au). Mercury is 115 yards of space (sp.yard) far from the Sun, and Mars is 455.5 sp.yard far. Jupiter is 1555.8 sp.yard or 0.88 space-mile (sp.mile) far from the Sun. Neptune is 5.13 sp.mile, and Pluto is 6.1 sp.mile far from the Sun.
Table 2
Perception of the lengths in space based on the Moon's equatorial diameter, one space-yard (English unit system) [10]
Definition: The diameter of the Moon is equal to 2159 miles. |
Assumption: One space yard (sp.yard) equals a hundred and forty-four times (144) or forty-eight (48) times the Moon’s equatorial diameter of 2,159.0 mils. |
Celestial bodies | Diameters in the unit of “space-inch” (sp.inch) | Diameters in the unit of “space-foot” (sp.ft) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-yard” (sp.yard) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-mile” (sp.mile) |
Moon* | 0.25 | 0.021 | 0.7687 | 0.0004 |
Mercury | 0.35 | 0.029 | 115.8 | 0.066 |
Venus | 0.87 | 0.073 | 216.1 | 0.123 |
Earth | 0.92 | 0.076 | 299.1 | 0.170 |
Mars | 0.49 | 0.041 | 455.5 | 0.259 |
Jupıter | 10.29 | 0.857 | 1555.8 | 0.884 |
Saturn | 8.67 | 0.723 | 2862.1 | 1.626 |
Uranus | 3.68 | 0.306 | 5730.2 | 3.256 |
Neptune | 3.56 | 0.297 | 9023.9 | 5.13 |
Pluto** | 0.1709 | 0.01424 | 11804.6 | 6.71 |
Sun | 50.06 | 4.171 | NA | NA |
*Significant to Earth ** Dwarf planet |
One space-meter (sp.m) becomes 347,500.0 kilometers, and one space-yard (sp.yard) becomes 310,896.0 miles. In other words, one space meter becomes equal to 0.8946 space yards. However, one meter equals 1.0936 yards; this difference between the SI and English unit systems in space is caused by the different assumptions made based on the Moon’s diameter in different unit systems. It creates inconsistency and may confuse. The second proposal is constructed over the first one. It preserves the scale, but more scientifically, it is defined based on the speed of light in space. It is the acceptance of assuming that the distance light travels in a second equals one “space-meter” and 1.0936 “space-yards”. Then one space-meter equals 299,792.458 kilometers and 186,282.397 miles.
Table 3
Perception of the lengths in space based on the speed of light, one space-meter (SI unit system) [9]
Definition: The speed of light in a vacuum is equal to as 299,792,458.00 meters per second |
Acceptance: One space-meter (sp.m) equals to the length of 299,792,458.00 meters that light can travel in a second in space |
Celestial bodies | Diameters in the unit of “space-centimeter” (sp.cm) | Diameters in the unit of “space-meter” (sp.m) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-meter” (sp.m) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-kilometer” (sp.km) |
Moon* | 1.16 | 0.012 | 1.2809 | 0.0013 |
Mercury | 1.63 | 0.016 | 193.1 | 0.193 |
Venus | 4.04 | 0.040 | 360.9 | 0.361 |
Earth | 4.25 | 0.043 | 499.0 | 0.499 |
Mars | 2.27 | 0.023 | 760.5 | 0.761 |
Jupiter | 47.69 | 0.477 | 2596.8 | 2.597 |
Saturn | 40.21 | 0.402 | 4776.6 | 4.777 |
Uranus | 17.05 | 0.171 | 9563.3 | 9.563 |
Neptune | 16.52 | 0.165 | 15060.4 | 15.06 |
Pluto** | 0.7925 | 0.00793 | 19701.6 | 19.70 |
Sun | 464.12 | 4.641 | NA | NA |
*Significant to Earth ** Dwarf planet |
In this case, the Moon has a diameter of one and sixteen-hundredths space-centimeter (1.16 Sp.cm), the diameter of Earth becomes 4.25 sp.cm, that of Jupiter equals 47.69 sp.cm and Pluto becomes about 0.79 sp.cm or about eight space-millimeter (sp.mm). The Sun has a 464.0 sp.cm diameter equal to 4.64 sp.m. Earth is about 500 sp.m or 0.5 space kilometers (sp.km) far from the Sun, equivalent to one astronomical unit (1 au). Mercury is 193.1 meters of space (sp.m) far from the Sun, and Mars is 760.5 sp.m far. The next planet, Jupiter, is 2596.8 sp.m or 2.6 space-kilometer (sp.km) far from the Sun. Neptune is 15 sp.km, and Pluto is 19.7 sp.km, far from the Sun. A similar arrangement with the English unit system is given in Table 4.
Table 4
Perception of the lengths in space based on the speed of light, one space-yard (English unit system) [10]
Definition: The speed of light in a vacuum is equal to 983,571,056.00 feet per second, 327,857,018.7 yards per second, or 186,282.3971 miles per second. |
Acceptance: One space-foot (sp.ft) equals the length of 983,571,056.00 feet that light can travel in a second in space and equals to 186,282.3971 miles |
Celestial bodies | Diameters in the unit of “space-inch” (sp.inch) | Diameters in the unit of “space-foot” (sp.ft) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-yard” (sp.yard) | Distances to the Sun in the unit of “space-mile” (sp.mile) |
Moon* | 0.42 | 0.035 | 1.2830 | 0.0007 |
Mercury | 0.59 | 0.049 | 193.3 | 0.110 |
Venus | 1.45 | 0.121 | 360.7 | 0.205 |
Earth | 1.53 | 0.128 | 499.2 | 0.284 |
Mars | 0.82 | 0.068 | 760.1 | 0.432 |
Jupıter | 17.17 | 1.431 | 2596.6 | 1.475 |
Saturn | 14.47 | 1.206 | 4776.6 | 2.714 |
Uranus | 6.14 | 0.512 | 9563.4 | 5.434 |
Neptune | 5.95 | 0.496 | 15060.5 | 8.56 |
Pluto** | 0.2852 | 0.02377 | 19701.3 | 11.19 |
Sun | 83.5418 | 6.962 | NA | NA |
*Significant to Earth **Dwarf planet |
The length that light can travel in a second in space equals a unit of one space meter, which is equal to 299,792.458 kilometers and 186,282.3971 miles. As given in Table 4, when the speed of light is considered as the reference, the diameter of the Moon becomes 0.42 inches, that of Earth becomes 1.53 sp.inch, that of Jupiter equals 17.17 sp.inch, and Pluto becomes about 0.28 sp.inch, in the English unit system. The Sun has a diameter of 83.54 sp.inch or equal to 6.96 sp.ft. Earth is 499.2 sp.yard or 0.284 space miles (sp.mile) far from the Sun, equivalent to one astronomical unit (1 au). Mercury is 193.3 yards of space (sp.yard) far from the Sun, and Mars is 760.1 sp.yard far. The next planet, Jupiter, is 2596.6 sp.yard or 1.475 space-mile (sp.mile) far from the Sun. Neptune is 8.56 sp.mile, and Pluto is 11.19 sp.mile far from the Sun.
Similarly, Perihelion and Aphelion values can be expressed comfortably. For instance, the mean orbital velocity of Earth is 29.80 km/s, which is 107,280 km/h. In space units proposed, the mean orbital velocity can be expressed 0.3578 sp.m/h, 35.78 sp.cm/h, 8.58 sp.m/day, or 3.13 sp.km/year, becomes more meaningful. Juno spacecraft had the maximum speed when it approached Jupiter at about 365,000 km/h, which is a speed of 122 sp.cm/h, which means it would take 57 minutes to take the distance between Earth to the Moon.
Answering the question, “How big is the solar system?” is more straightforward. When we accept that the distance a light beam can travel in a second is one space meter, then the Sun has a diameter of about 5 sp.m while that of Earth is 4.25 sp.cm. While Earth is about 500 sp.m (1 au) far from the Sun, the dwarf planet Pluto becomes 19.7 sp.km, about 40 au far from the Sun. The end of the solar system is at three times as far out as Pluto. That is about 60 sp.km far from the Sun. This means that light travels from Sun to Earth in 500 seconds, to Pluto in 19,700 seconds, and to the end of the solar system, which takes 60,000 seconds, or 16 hours and 40 minutes.