Planet Pluto Site

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The Planet Trek Pluto site, represents Pluto, the "dwarf planet" as recently defined by the IAU. Pluto is also known to be a Kuiper Belt Object. The Planet Trek Pluto site stands as a glistening, shining monument in a dry wash environment within sight of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is a world center for solar system exploration. Pluto is pretty difficult to find in the sky, for amateur astronomers. It is even more difficult to reach with a spacecraft. So Planet Trek's Pluto site is a little more difficult to get to, requiring a short hike, bike or wheelchair ride to the Flint Wash Bridge area in Pasadena's Hahamongna Watershed Park.

The Imaginative Sculpture, much larger than the scale object, is designed to catch a bright sun reflection and capture attention from afar, as well as to convey some aspects of the planet Pluto. It consists of an 18-inch diameter sphere of highly polished stainless steel set atop a boulder.

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The Imaginative Sculpture's appearance is intended to be reflective of its surroundings (literally, in fact. JPL and the riparian environment can be seen in its mirror-bright finish) and the dwarf planet's cold and unknown nature. The base is an Imperial Black granite boulder. Approximate height with sphere is 4 feet 6 inches. The sphere is fixed to its boulder base, and the base is attached to footing at the ground.

The Scale Model is part of a unique orbital disk depicting Pluto's equatorial plane, highly inclined, and the scale model dwarf planet on the angle of its polar axis. The base supporting the Scale Model is a pre-cast, uniquely finished concrete pedestal, with informational insets and a title plaque in stainless steel, copper or brass, with etched enamel infill. The information included will place Pluto in context within the greater Kuiper Belt, and will explain its "dwarf planet" status.

Both the Scale Model and the Imaginative Sculpture are on concrete footings connected by a concrete arc with brass inset directional arrows and the dwarf planet's name. Ten "Great Question" plaques surround this site, as with all the other sites, set at ground level.

Scale model pedestal closeup

The detail at right illustrates the scale Pluto model on a metal surface angled about 122 degrees from level (about 58 degrees measured on the other side) to represent the dwarf planet's natural equatorial tilt. The scale dwarf planet is a bump on this plate only about 0.058 inch in diameter, its true scale size compared to the three-foot diameter Sun which is about 12,750 feet away. This rests atop a concrete pedestal with information and name plaques. Also present on the pedestal is a unique souvenir rub-transfer icon which may be used in school projects and promotional activities to provide evidence of visit.

Since the Pluto site is in view of JPL, it may be appropriate for the site to include an information plaque telling about JPL's role in solar system exploration.

Click here to see the artists' conception of a typical planet sculpture site, complete with scale model, imaginative sculpture, and the connecting walkway with its ten "Great Question" plaques.

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