- 6/7/2011
5/5 stars
W00T! I stayed between Earth and Mars!
Yeah, I love this type of thing. The planet walk is a scale model of the solar system. The Sun is at 5th and G, and the estimated walking time to each planet is the same as the average time for light to reach that planet. Earth is about eight minutes away (1 AU), a little over 40 minutes to reach Jupiter (around 5.2 AU) down the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, all the way to about 320 minutes to reach Pluto (around 39.5 AU). Yes, this was built when Pluto was considered a planet officially.
The Sun is tiled, half-exposed on a pedestal. I see the potential for neat winter-ish art projects, but I likely underestimate the insane coldness of an Alaskan winter.
I only made it to Jupiter on foot, but there are plenty of bike rentals around for the full interplanetary tour. Jupiter is located down the trail at a beautiful lagoon area with an observation deck illustrated with salmon… I was there too early in the year, but I'm guessing salmon swim into the lagoon. That'd be neat. The salmon of Jupiter. Almost sounds like a Dr. Who episode except delicious. (No fishing around that lagoon, though.)