A Virtual Model of the Solar System
Abe Harper
Baldwin County
Abstract
The purpose of my project was to generate a Solar System in
Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). Our solar system consists
of nine planets and their moons. My model covers only the nine
planets and earth's moon, however. The model that I made was
proportional to the actual solar system only in distances from the
sun. Orbit times and paths are estimated only according to sight.
Sizes of planets are also relative, but not proportional. After
setting the planets into orbits, I then assigned each planet a time
period for its orbit. Finally, I had to give each planet a relative
size, by setting the size of each sphere, which represented a planet,
a relative size according to how large it actually was in the solar
system. Once the planets were in place and had orbits,
all that was left were minor
adjustments to make the planets and
solar system look realistic.