Sagan Planet Walk

The Sciencenter’s Sagan Planet Walk is a 1.2-km, 1 to 5 billion scale model of the Solar System.

Sagan Planet Walk

Sagan Planet Walk logoExplore our solar system through the Sagan Planet Walk, a 1,200-meter-long scale model created in 1997 by the Sciencenter in honor of the renowned astronomer and Ithaca resident, Carl Sagan.

Starting at the Sun station in Ithaca Commons and ending at Pluto’s station at the Sciencenter, each stop features a planet model and informative plaque. Along the way, you might discover that the sunny side of Mercury is hotter than a pizza oven, or that it rains strong sulfuric acid on Venus, or that a year on Pluto takes 248 Earth years. Planning to land on Jupiter? Forget it – this planet is hot and gaseous and has no solid surface.

Stay current with the latest discoveries on the Sagan Planet Walk website, hosted by SPIF.

You can download and listen to a free audio tour of the Sagan Planet Walk. Join Bill Nye, The Science Guy, as he takes you on an inspirational audio tour of the sun, eight planets, and dwarf planet Pluto.

Passport to the Solar System

Get a “Passport to the Solar System” for $4 each to enjoy fun facts and discussion prompts as you explore a 1,200-meter walk. Stop at planet stations, get your passport stamped with unique Greek symbols, and bring it to the Sciencenter for a free admission!

Passport cover image

Locations where Passports are sold:

  • Sciencenter, 601 1st Street
  • 15 Steps Gallery, 171 The Commons

    Free passport:

    Alternatively, you can download the “Passport to the Solar System” for free below. Please note that the downloadable passports do not qualify for free admission to the Sciencenter.