I realize I have forgotten just how big the orbits of the planets are. I was thinking that I could do a scale model of the solar system in our yard using all 150 feet and drawing pictures of the planets (well, I'd figure the small ones would pretty much be dots a few millimeters across, so not really pictures) on paper and staking them in the ground. Alas, to fit the solar system in the yard requires that the Sun be about 10mm across and that the Earth be 90 microns across to fit the orbit of Pluto in the yard (I would actually feel okay to exclude Pluto from the planets but I don't want to get my daughter all confused) at 139 feet from the Sun.

Gud is the coolest father ever!

Timelies.

Belated Happy Birthday to Lyra Jane.

What's this sleep and dreams you all are talking about? Ugh. I'm hoping at this point that sheer exhaustion will allow me to sleep tonight.

In other fun news, my internet is down at home. Comcast won't be out until tomorrow morning to fix it. Joy. I kept thinking "I'll just pop online and check...oh wait. Damn." last night. Didn't realize how much I take for granted the ability to get to the internet whenever I feel like.

There are places that have large-scale models ("large" being relative here) of the sloar system. I think the biggest one has Pluto 20 miles away from the sun.

BTW, did you know that the sun is a mass of superheated gas? It's also a gigantic nuclear furnace.

There's a model of the solar system on the Mall. The Sun is near the Air and Space Museum. I've yet to see Pluto -- I think it's near the Holocaust Museum, some blocks away.

I realize I have forgotten just how big the orbits of the planets are.

Use a crazy log scale!

And that's a neat project for your kids.

I kept thinking "I'll just pop online and check...oh wait. Damn." last night. Didn't realize how much I take for granted the ability to get to the internet whenever I feel like.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Earlier today I was thinking to myself, "Gee, remember when I had to use a modem to dial up an ISP, tying up my phone line?" (And then I responded, "Of course I remember that; I'm you, you idiot!") Yeah, back when going online required a modicum of planning ahead....

I could do just the inner planets with the Sun being 25cm across and still fit Mars in the yard. The Earth would be about 2 mm across. Small, but doable.

Clearly someone didn't drink enough alcohol of sufficiently high proofage to prevent this...

I drank more over those five days than I have ever. And I still got the plague.

Too bad making fun of Kevin Sorbo took priority over our plans to get slightly schnozzled and go to the Harry Potter slash panel.

My cable/DVR remote is broken. Without it I can only flip through the channels from the box-- can't record, rewind, or watch something I've recorded. It's like the dark ages!