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How to Create a Chart Comparing the Planets

Creating a chart to compare the planets can educate you about their qualities. You can make a simple chart that shows only their relative sizes or get more ambitious and include facts and statistics about the planets presented in a format that allows viewers to compare them. Charts can be made as large wall posters that can be put up in a classroom, or in digital form to be posted on the Internet.

Things You'll Need

Large piece of paper
Pens
Colored markers

Instructions

- 1
  Draw the planets in a straight line across the center of the paper. Research their relative sizes and draw them at the appropriate scale so that they are properly related to each other in their presentation on the chart.
- 2
  Make the chart more visually interesting by coloring in the planets to make them resemble their actual appearance. Another alternative is to find a digital photograph of each planet, use photo software to make it an appropriate size relative to the other planets and then print it out and glue it to the chart.
- 3
  Below the image of each planet, write statistics about its size, distance from the sun, atmospheric makeup and length of orbit. Write the statistics from each category in a straight line so that viewers can easily compare the characteristics of each planet.

Astronomy