and especially the distances to the neighbouring stars.

尤其是地球到鄰近星球的距離

Our brains are quite good at dealing with medium-sized

我們的大腦對於中型的物體以及其距離

objects and distances like buildings, city blocks and

相當有概念，像是建築物，城市街區

even entire cities, but when someone says that Pluto

甚至整個城市的大小。但當有人跟你說

is 7.3 BILLION kilometers away, what does that really look like?

冥王星距離我們73億公里時，這又是怎麼樣的距離呢?

In order to get a sense of the immense scale of our

為了讓大家對太陽系的巨大

solar system and the distances between the planets,

以及行星間彼此的距離有個概念

let’s build a scale model in a city so we have some

讓我們在城市裡建構一個模型

common reference points for judging the relative distances.

這樣我們可以有一些共同參考點來判斷這些相對距離

We’ll start in an American football field with the sun

一開始，我們將太陽擺在一個美式足球場的50碼線上

placed at the 50 yard line and scaled to the size of a 44cm beach ball.

並且將其縮小如一顆直徑44公分的海灘球一般

At this scale, Earth and Venus are the size of a small

在這比例上，地球跟金星的大小就如同

stud earring, only 4mm in diameter. Jupiter is about

一個小小的耳釘，僅僅直徑4公厘

the size of a golf ball, Uranus and Neptune are the

木星的大小如同一顆高爾夫球，天王星和海王星

size of a small marble, and our moon and Pluto are

的大小如同一顆小彈珠，我們的月亮和冥王星

closer to the size of a round candy sprinkle,

則接近圓形糖果碎屑的大小

only 1mm in diameter.

直徑只有1公厘

Now let’s put them in their proper locations based on

現在，讓我們根據遠日點，或是說距離太陽最遠的距離

their aphelions, or their farthest distances from the sun.

將他們放在適當的位置

We’ll find Mercury near the 26 yard line or 22 meters

我們將會發現水星約是位於26碼線附近或是距離太陽22公尺遠

from the sun. That’s equal to about 70 million kilometers at actual scale.

這在實際距離上等同於7000萬公里

Venus will be near the 12 yard line,

金星大約在12碼線附近

34 meters from the sun.

距離太陽34公尺遠

Earth can be found inside the end zone at 48 meters

地球則會位於球門區內

from our beach ball sun.

距離沙灘球般大小的太陽48公尺遠

And our little candy sprinkle-sized Moon is about 13cm

至於我們如糖果碎班，小小的月球

from the earring-sized Earth.

距離耳釘般大小的地球則約是13公分遠

To find Mars, we’ll have to get up to the middle of

要找到火星的話，我們必須爬到底層觀眾席的中間

the lower seating section, about 80m from the sun.

這距離約是離太陽80公尺

At this scale, Mars is about 2mm in diameter, as you

在這比例下，火星直徑約是2公厘

can see compared to this bottle cap.

你可以用這個瓶蓋來比較大小

After Mars, the distances start to increase rapidly.

過了火星之後，各行星彼此間的距離開始急遽增加

To get to Jupiter, we’ll have to head out 260m or 850ft,

要到木星，我們必須再往外走260公尺或是850呎

which is halfway into the parking lot.

這已經是在通往停車場的半路上了

Saturn will take us all the way through the parking

要到達土星，則要一路穿越停車場

lot and to the edge of the first block of the city,

一直走到這個城市的第一個街口，

or 480m from the sun.

換句話說，就是距離太陽480公尺遠。

Uranus is over 5 city blocks past the parking lot.

天王星則在距停車場五個街口外

That’s 950 meters from the centre of the stadium.

這距離足球場中央已經是950公尺了

Our small marble-sized Neptune takes us right to the

我們如同彈珠般大小的海王星則

edge of our model city, almost 10 blocks from the

要讓我們走到市中心的邊緣，大約距停車場10個街口

parking lot and 1.43km, or 0.89 miles from the sun.

距離太陽約1.43公里，或是0.89英哩

Now we’ll make our way to little dwarf planet Pluto,

現在，我們將啟程走到矮行星，冥王星

nearly 10 football fields past Neptune.

經過海王星再走約10個足球場的距離

Fun fact: In this part of the animation, we’re

告訴你們一個有趣的事實: 在這部分動畫中

currently travelling at a scale speed of nearly 600 times the speed of light!

我們的旅行是用接近600倍光速的速度來前進

Pluto, here less than 1mm in diameter, is well beyond

冥王星，在這比例下其直徑小於1公厘

the city and across the bridge at over 2.3 km, or 1.4 miles from the centre of the stadium.

位置已超出市中心很遠，甚至過了座橋，其距離場館中央已超過2.3公里，或是1.4英哩

That’s what 7.3 billion km looks like when our entire planet is scaled down to a mere 4mm.

這就是當我們把星球縮小到僅僅四公厘時，730億公里看起來會是這個樣子。

Now how far away do you think the nearest STAR would

你認為，在這個比例之下，離我們最近的恆星

be at this scale?

有多遠呢？

If our beach ball sun was in Yankee Stadium in New

假如沙灘球般大小的太陽位於紐約的洋基球場

York City, our entire solar system would be contained

那麼整個太陽系的大小會涵蓋

within a 2 to 3 km radius between Harlem and the Bronx.

半徑2到3公里的地區，也就是哈林區到布朗克斯的範圍

At this scale, here is where Proxima Centauri, the

在這個比例之下，這就是Proxima Centauri

nearest star to our sun, would be found.

這顆離太陽最近的行星，會被找到的位置。

Not yet

還沒到

Even farther!

還得更遠！

The nearest star would be past Mumbai India at about

要找到離太陽最近的恆星，得經過印度孟買

12,690 km away!

大約12,690公里遠！

If we ever want to explore the neighbouring star

假如我們想到鄰近的恆星星系去探險

systems, I think we’re going to need some faster ships!

那我想我們需要一些更快的太空船！

Now that you’ve got a sense for the scale of our solar

現在你已經對於我們太陽系的大小有些概念了

system, why not check out our video about the Hubble Deep

何不再看看我們另一支影片

Field Images and the size of the Universe by clicking

這支影片是關於「哈伯深空」的影響跟宇宙的大小

here or in the description below.

按這裡或是下面的敘述來觀看

If this is your first time on our channel, I hope

假如這是你第一次觀看我們的頻道

you'll subscribe to catch more of our upcoming science

我希望你可以按下訂閱，這樣你就可以觀看更多即將出爐的科學新知影片

videos and if you have young children, you can also

而如果你有小孩

check out our educational videos for preschool kids.

也可以讓他們觀看我們為學齡前小孩製作的影片

Thanks so much for watching. See you next time!

感謝您的觀看。下次見！