PRESS RELEASE 93-46

Immediate 
Lori J. Rachul
(Bus: 216/433-8806)
<h3>Lewis Employee Suggests Way to Take the Ultimate Walk -- Through 
the Solar System</h3> Cleveland, OH -- NASA Lewis Research Center 
employee Martin Mayer submitted a suggestion for creating a Solar 
System Walk--Lewis, Cleveland Metroparks and the Cleveland Public 
Schools have teamed up to turn this suggestion into reality.

Initially, Mayer's Solar System Walk suggestion utilized the Center's 
grounds, but Lewis wanted to find a way the entire community could 
benefit from this educational "walk." 

That is when Lewis approached Cleveland Metroparks to share in this 
joint venture.

The Solar System Walk consists of signposts representing the nine 
planets. Each signpost has a picture, informational and scientific 
data of the planet. These signposts are situated along a trail at 
their average distances from the Sun. The scale used is 1 foot = 1 
million miles; the entire length of the trail is approximately 
three-fourths of a mile. The "walk"begins at South Mastick Picnic 
Area.

The "walk" has been designed to serve as an educational experience for 
people of all ages. It is designed to give an appreciation for the 
enormous size of our universe and as an educational tool to help 
teach math and science concepts to students of all ages.

The Cleveland Public Schools has also been involved and will use the 
"walk" for field trips to experience nature and exercise while 
learning science and math.

"It's great to be part of this project," said Mayer, "especially since 
it will be giving school children a way to actually visualize the 
size of the solar system."

Mayer submitted his suggestion in September 1992 through the 
Suggestion Awards Program at Lewis. He is an engineering technician 
in the Facilities Operations Division. He and his wife, Suzanne, 
reside in Mayfield Hts., Ohio.



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