Presque Isle, Maine: Solar System Model: The Sun
The starting point for the world's largest scale model of the solar system. Pluto is 40 miles away.
University of Maine, Folsom Hall
- Address:
- S. Main St., Presque Isle, ME
- Directions:
- Northern Maine Museum of Science, University of Maine, Folsom Hall. The scale surface of the sun is incorporated into the exterior of the Northern Maine Museum of Science, which is in Folsom Hall at the University of Maine Presque Isle. The campus is at the south end of town, on the west side of US Hwy 1/S. Main St. Take the northernmost entrance onto campus, and Folsom hall is the second building on the left.
- Admission:
- Free.
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A scale model of the Solar System (Sun to Earth = 1 mile) is along Highway 1 south of Presque Isle. It starts at the University of Maine and stretches 40 miles south to Pluto, which is in the Visitor Center at Houlton.
[Joseph E Ritsch, 07/28/2016]
Located in newly renovated Folsom Hall on the campus of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, the replica of the sun resides throughout the entire building. If you are in Northern Maine, it is worth the view. The building is open almost always M-F (excluding holidays).
[Aaron Tomlinson, 07/27/2009]Update on Solar System developed from Houlton to Presque Isle, Maine: All of the planets are developed and well marked. You can pick up a brochure at the Visitor's Center in Houlton that will give you the exact mileage from one planet to the next from Houlton to Presque Isle.
[Shirley Aube, 07/02/2005]The Maine Solar System Model is a scale model (1 mile = 1 A.U., appx. 1:93000000) of the Solar System, beginning at the Houlton Visitor Information center (I-95 at US-1) with a one-inch diameter Pluto, and extending northward 40 miles to the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus and a 50-foot diameter Sun.
[Mark Bickford, 05/03/2002]Nearby Offbeat Places
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Interesting -- there is already one of these "models" emanating out from Peoria, Illinois. Start of a science museum trend? And is that 50-foot diameter sun trying to cause trouble for the World's Largest Rotating Earth at DeLorme HQ, also in Maine?