I found a collection of model solar systems in the States last August (though I erroneously labelled it a model of the universe) and wondered about setting one up in Britain. Somebody was listening to me, and now there’s to be a scale solar system with the sun based at Jodrell Bank.

And because of distances involved, many of the models will be in Greater Manchester. Mercury will be in Chelford, Venus in Alderley Edge, Earth in Macclesfield and Mars in Northwich. The Ceres asteroid will be in Chapel-en-le-Frith and Gaspra at William Hulme Grammar School in Hulme, Manchester.