Walk the Solar System

A guide to the trail, including detailed map and activity, can be collected from the Information Centre on Campus West or downloaded as a PDF.

Walk the Solar System - Map and Activity Sheet (PDF , 3,306kb)

Inspired by the Solar System trail on the York to Selby cycle route, Astrosoc wanted to create a scale model of the solar system across the University of York Campus. In early 2016 they were awarded funding from Yufund and YuStart to make this a reality. Bringing together expertise from the mechanical workshops at the University, the original Solar System models were hand sculpted by the team at North Yorkshire Props Dept (NYPD), based in Scarborough. A new series of models were sculpted by Scale Model Makers in 2022. These new models consist of hardy steel cores and painstakingly sculpted and painted topography. These are the models you see on display today.

Crucial to the success of The University of York Solar System was the crowd funding project used to raise funds. In addition AstroSoc and Astrocampus would like to specifically thank the University of York Chemistry and Biology Departments and the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology for their incredible work on the project.