Hiking the solar system

The Oberkochen Planetary Trail forms a 6 km long educational trail from the town hall to Volkmarsberg. At a total of twelve stations, it shows a miniaturised model of the solar system on a scale of 1:1 billion. This means that one millimetre corresponds to 1,000 kilometres in reality. The distances between the planets in the solar system become easier to visualise as you walk, as does their size compared to the Earth.

At each station there are information steles made by meng with graphics, pictures and models of the planets and the sun. The initiator and planner of the Planet Trail is Richard Burger, a local councillor and former maths and physics teacher at the Ernst Abbe Grammar School in Oberkochen. He channelled his particular enthusiasm for astronomy and teaching complex subjects to his pupils into the project.

The 12 quintessenz steles of the planetary path are 2,200 mm high, 800 mm wide and 60 mm deep. They have a monolithic appearance with flush aluminium surfaces on all sides. Like the system profiles, these are painted to RAL colour. The labelling was carried out as full-surface digital printing with subsequent protective laminate. The steles were designed by Kränzledesignbüro from Aalen.

Some of the steles have up to 280 mm round viewing windows with acrylic glass covers in the front viewing area. The planetary models provided were placed behind them. For models larger than the 60 mm width of the steles, the planets without acrylic glass were attached to rods inside the recess. The planets, which were manufactured to a very high standard, make the steles interesting and varied. At the end of the informative planet trail, you have a completely new idea of the solar system.