Planet Walk Display at the Sun in Downtown Anchorage - Anchorage, AK - Rotary International Markers on Waymarking.com

In the downtown section of Anchorage, at the corner of 5th Avenue and G Street, is the 'central' display of the Anchorage Planet Walk, where a representation of the sun is located, along with several other markers packed with information. One display has a monitor, which has video about the Planet Walk, and of Rotary International which helped make this display possible.

The Anchorage Lightspeed Planet Walk was built through funds and thousands of voluntary hour from Rotary Club members and others in the community from 2003 to 2005. The idea was to build a model such that it took roughly one minute of walking to equal one light-minute, such that an eight minute walk equaled eight light minutes from the sun to the earth, for example. The sun is located in downtown Anchorage, while the planets are along 4th Avenue to the west, then along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.

All displays are packed with information. At the sun kiosk there is information about the Planet Walk itself, including how it came to be and how the Rotary Club helped make it possible.

The Planet Walk was the idea of a high school student, Eli Menaker, who was an enthusiastic amateur astronomer. As a senior, while doing many other things including being a lead scientist guide for the Imaginarium at the Anchorage Museum, he designed the planet walk, which was based on a visit he made to the Carl Sagan Memorial Planet Walk in Ithaca, NY. The local Rotary International Club at Anchorage became involved with Eli in 2003, just before he went off to college. Funds were raised and installations were made from 2003 to 2005, when the bulk of the exhibits were done. Eli researched and wrote all of the text on the signs, while graphic artist Charles Marshall worked on the sign design. Eli also worked with another artist, Julie Matthews, on the sun.

Anchorage Rotary chose this project as their centennial project to commemorate the 100 years of Rotary International. In 2006, Eli Menaker and Anchorage Rotary receive the "Heart of Anchorage" Award for this project by the Anchorage Downtown Partnership.

If you are not able to make the trip to see this display in person, you can go to the web cam on the web site to view the sun display!

Source:

Anchorage Lightspeed Planet Walk
(visit link)

Anchorage Rotary Club
(visit link)

Plaque or monument: Other or unknown Placed by?: Anchorage "Downtown" Chapter

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