Your Questions, Answered

  • We suggest ages 8 and up, depending on the level of reading comprehension. Our callouts are carefully written to be precise but accessible. We strive to define every technical term used within our diagram, so a reader can learn their meaning and decide for themselves to explore further.

  • The four inner planets; Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Our Moon is also included (other moons are too small at our scale for the naked eye to see).

  • Approximately 1:60 billion! See our Technical Annexe for further details

  • There are 9 different features represented on our diagrammatic poster. These are; average body position, axial tilt, axial rotation, the ecliptic, orbital inclination, orbital distance (perihelion and aphelion), barycenter, invariable plane and solar system orbital direction,.

  • There are 19 different callouts on the diagram, covering topics such as orbital inclination, the barycenter and the invariable plane.

  • The majority is high-quality paper, with high-resolution printed inks. The four planetary areas are a thin metallic layer, with laser markings for each planet (plus our Moon)

  • Not everyone has sufficient eyesight to see at the scale we have created. However, we find shining a light (e.g. your mobile phone torch) makes it easier to pick out the glint of the metal - just like the Sun allows us to see the planets from Earth!

  • 475.6cm wide by 29.7cm high (approximately 187 inches wide by 12 inches high). But contains multiple vertical cut points, to subdivide into manageable pieces (e.g. for corner placement)

  • No. We have carefully designed Metaltellus to be at the edge of human eye resolution, any smaller and visual aids would be needed, which takes away from the overall sense of scale

  • Yes! We have designed our layout such that dividing it does not cut through any critical content - although we recommend keeping everything together to retain the sense of scale. See our subdivide FAQ for more information.

  • There are at least 8 places where a clean vertical cut will not split any text. Of these, 4 also avoid separating the text from the feature it describes. These are spread throughout the diagram, allowing corner placement for most wall sizes

  • It is shipped as a single piece but rolled into a tube for ease of transportation

  • Yes. Contact us to discuss.