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Planetary Distance Data Sheet

If you were to map out the solar system in actual miles, you would have to travel around Earth's equator 1,445 times just to travel the distance between the Sun and Mercury (the closest planet). Fortunately, in this data sheet, one sheet of toilet paper represents 10 MILLION miles! This sheet allows you to see how spread out the solar system is on a more manageable scale—all with a roll of toilet paper!
 
Sun 0 0 0  
Mercury 36 million 3.6 3.6  
Venus 67 million 6.7 3.1  
Earth 93 million 9.3 2.6  
Mars 142 million 14.2 4.9  
Jupiter 484 million 48.4 34.2  
Saturn 887 million 88.7 40.3  
Uranus 1,784 million 178.4 89.7  
Neptune 2,795 million 279.5 101.1  
Pluto 3,670 million 367.0 87.5  
 
1 sheet of toilet paper equals approximately 10 million miles
image The Shape of the Orbits
The planets do not revolve around the Sun in perfectly circular orbits. In fact, planets travel in elliptical orbits so that at some points they are closer to the Sun and to one another than at other points. For this activity, you are using the average distance between each planet and the Sun. Keep in mind that sometimes each planet is slightly closer to the Sun and sometimes it is a little farther away.
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