This galactic game of kickball centers on a pointed, orange-topped stake driven into the middle of a large field. Radiating from the stake are cords that end in balls. Two meters from the stake is tied a small ball representing Mercury. A larger ball, Venus, is on a four meter cord, and at six meters is tied the Earth-ball, etc. Farthest out is a small ball for Pluto, alternative Sedna.

The nine or ten members of the Planet team kick their planet balls on extended cords in circles around the Sun-stake. Actually they spiral in as their cords are wound up on the stake. As the Planet team circles the Sun at a run, kicking their planet-balls and jumping cords, surrounding them, 15 meters out is the Oort team.

With 9-10 members and an equal number of small, streamer-trailing comet balls, the Oort team accumulates points by hitting planets or their kickers with kicked comets. Points are recorded until all the planets are coiled around the stake or no more comets return to the Oort Cloud, then the teams change places for a new round of planetary Armageddon.
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 27 2004

Oh, you mean a Sol-themed dodge-swing-ball-soccer? I used to play that as a kid.
Actually, that's a complete lie. Bun+
-- benjamin, Jun 27 2004


It's not to scale then [F.J.]? Only asking, as you say it's a science exercise too.
-- cromagnon, Jun 27 2004


//not to scale// No, I decided not to place the Pluto 200 meters out or make Jupiter a 3 meter diameter ball.
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 27 2004


//to scale// would make the comets a little tricky to kick, too.
-- benjamin, Jun 27 2004


This is a good sport that most everyone can relate to if you set it up to their respective solar systems. Could there be a version with the asteroid belt instead of an Oort Cloud or both? +
-- sartep, Jun 27 2004


//most everyone can relate to// Include the rules with the next spacecraft scheduled to exit our solar system.
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 28 2004



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