The Stations of the Danube Planet Trail in Detail
Overview/Disk of the Sun
Near the football fields of Winzer, at the Hofkirchen marketplace, and at the Vilshofen harbor, there is a Sun disk with the planets to scale in size and in the correct sequence for sensing and comparing the size of the sun, the planets and the dwarf planets.
Audio Guide: Introduction to the Danube Planet Trail
Sun, Mercury and Venus
By the harbor in Vilshofen there is a slim column with a 1.39 m large model of the Sun. Upriver, along the Danube Bike Path you will reach
- Mercury, the planet next to the Sun as well as the smallest – in a distance of 58 m from the Sun and only 4.9 mm in size.
- Venus, 108 m from the model of the Sun and 12.1 mm large.
Moon, Earth
- Earth, 150 m away from the sun model and 12.7 mm in size
- Moon, 38 cm in front of the earth on the same stone. 3.5 mm in diameter
At this point you can simulate a total solar eclipse: By standing behind the earth and lining up the moon and sun in your vision, the moon will obscure the sun.
Audio Guide: Earth and Moon
Mars
Another 58 m down the path the red planet Mars is positioned on a stone near Gut Weidenhof. Mars is the second smallest planet – when the dwarf planets are not accounted.
Audio Guide: Mars
Jupiter
The largest planet, Jupiter, is 778 meters away from the sun model. The model’s diameter is 14 cm
Audio Guide: Jupiter
Saturn
1.3 km from the start of the Danube Planet Trail is Saturn with its rings. Saturn is a little bit smaller than Jupiter. It is however very well known for its large rings around it.
Audio Guide: Saturn
Uranus
2.8 km away from the Sun, after a steep curvy travel, perched directly on the Danube is the gas planet Uranus.
Audio Guide: Uranus
Neptune
Where the bike path leaves the river Danubue, 4.5 km away from the sun, on a large granite rock by the Danube is the model of Neptune. It is 5 cm large, 1 mm smaller than Uranus.
Audio Guide: Neptune
Pluto
6 km away from the start you will find the 2 mm large Pluto model on a large stone by the Hofkirchen football field, at the fork of the bike path from the state road. Pluto was visited by the Space Probe New Horizons in July 2015 after a flight of nine years.
Audio Guide: Pluto
Haumea
Haumea, named after an Hawaian godness of fertility, is a dwarf planet in the subclass of the Plutoids. It’s very small modell sits on a desk on the embankment in Hofkirchen.
Makemake
Makemake is a spherical dwarf planet in the Kuiperbelt. It stands also on the embankment of Hofkirchen.
Eris
10 km away from the sun, by the Radltreff Inn, the dwarfplanet Eris, the outpost of the solar system greets those who are taking a ride on the Danube Bike Path.