Modeling the solar system is a fun educational activity. Sometimes these projects are created as part of a school scientific lesson. You can make a model of the solar system from materials that you can buy at your nearest craft store. There are various ways to model the solar system, but this article describes one of the easiest and cheapest ways.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Researching and Gathering the Ingredients
Step 1. Do research on the planets
If you want to use it for a school project, you can't just make a hanging decoration without knowing the names of the planets.
- Learn the names of the planets and their order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus.
- Some models include Pluto as a planet, but scientists have recently classified this celestial body as a Dwarf Planet.
- Make sure you have a little information about the sun, as the center of our solar system.
Step 2. Gather the materials you need to build the planets
It's best if you have everything in front of you before starting this project.
- You will need Styrofoam balls of the following sizes: 12, 5, 10, 7, 5, 6, 5, 4, and 3.5 cm. You will need two for each 4 and 3.5 cm ball.
- You will also need 1.25 cm and 12.5 x 12.5 cm Styrofoam sheets. This is what you will use to make Saturn's rings.
- Get acrylic paints in the following colors: red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, dark blue, cobalt blue, light blue, white and black. You will color the planets with these colors.
Step 3. Find objects for you to use as props for the planets
You can find these items at craft stores along with other items.
- You will need a wooden stick with a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 75 cm. You will hang your planets on this stick using thread.
- Take a skein of black thread or string. This is what you will use to hang your planets on the stick.
- Take some white craft glue to help attach the planets to the string.
- If you don't have a hook to hang your hanging ornaments on, you should get one too.
Step 4. Gather the tools you need to combine the tools
You also want to have it ready to be available when you build it.
- Have scissors and a toothed knife or an x-acto knife. You will need scissors to cut the string and an x-acto knife to cut Saturn's rings.
- Caution: do not allow children to use the x-acto knife. Adults should help use it.
- Take a glass bottle or glass with a diameter of 7.5 cm, and another with a diameter of 10 cm. You will need it to trace onto the Styrofoam sheet to make Saturn's rings.
- You'll also need a teaspoon to help flatten the Styrofoam.
Step 5. Gather the rest of the ingredients
This will help you to color the planets.
- Take at least 8 wooden skewers. This can be the one you use for the satay.
- You'll stick them into Styrofoam balls to hold onto as you color the planets.
- Take some plastic glasses as containers for water and paint.
- Take a stiff paint brush to color the planets.
Part 2 of 3: Installing the Planets
Step 1. Insert a skewer into the Styrofoam ball
This will help you color it.
- Don't poke through the ball.
- Stab only half way.
- Remove them in the following order: 12.5 cm, 3.5 cm, 4 cm, 4 cm, 3.5 cm, 10 cm, 7.5 cm, 6 cm, and 5 cm.
Step 2. Cut the rings for Saturn
You'll need to trace the circles on the Styrofoam sheet to make them.
- Trace the glass bottle 10 cm wide on the center of the Styrofoam sheet with a pencil or pen.
- Place a 7.5 cm glass bottle in the center of the 10 cm circle you just made. Trace around the 7.5 cm glass bottle with a pencil or ballpoint pen.
- Cut the ring of cork, using an x-acto knife, following the line you just made.
- Never allow children to use an x-acto knife or serrated knife. Adults should do this step.
- Smooth all the edges of the ring using the convex side of a teaspoon.
Step 3. Add detail to your sun and the first few planets
You can do this by coloring the Styrofoam balls with craft paint. Hold the planets with a stab to prevent your work from falling apart.
- Place the paint in plastic cups, and fill half the glass with water to wash your brushes.
- Color the 12.5 cm ball yellow. It will be the sun.
- Take the next ball. This sphere measures 3.5 cm and will represent the planet Mercury. Color it orange.
- Color the next ball (4 cm in size) turquoise. This will be the planet Venus.
- Color the next ball (4 cm in size) dark blue, and add the continents green. This will be Earth.
- The planet Mars should be colored in red. This will be a ball with a size of 3.5 cm.
Step 4. Color the gas giant and its crutches
These planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus.
- Color the 10 cm ball with red and white lines. This will be the planet Jupiter. Add a Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter at the right point with red paint.
- Color the 7.5 cm ball yellow and color the bubble ring orange. This will be the planet Saturn.
- Take a 6 cm ball and color it light blue. This will be the planet Neptune.
- Take a 5 cm ball and color it with cobalt blue to become the planet Uranus.
- Color the pillars black.
Step 5. Let the planets and sticks dry
Everything should be completely dry before you hang it.
- Insert the sharp end of the skewer into the large bottle and allow the planets to dry without touching.
- Clean your work area while waiting to dry.
- You can clean with a paint brush, get rid of the glass of paint and water, and crumbs from cutting off Saturn's rings.
Step 6. Attach the planet Saturn
The planet Saturn is more complicated than the other planets because of its rings.
- Cover the edges in the orange ring with craft glue.
- Push the 7.5 cm yellow styrofoam ball into the ring, being careful not to damage the ring.
- Set aside and let dry while you attach other hanging decorations.
Part 3 of 3: Installing Solar System Hanging Ornaments
Step 1. Cut the string to hang the planets
Cut strings of different lengths so that all the planets hang at varying degrees.
- Cut the rope for the sun to the shortest size. Cut 10 cm long.
- Cut the next string 5 cm longer so the planet will hang lower. If you cut the string for the sun 10 cm long you must cut the string for the planet Mercury at least 15 cm.
- As you work, cut each rope an additional 5 cm in length. The planet Uranus must be the lowest of all the planets on the hanging decoration.
Step 2. Attach the rope to the planet
You will need to do this to hang the planet on a crutch.
- Remove the stabs from each planet.
- Make a knot at the end of the rope.
- Attach the knot at the end of the string into the hole of the skewer on the planet with the string.
- Remember to attach the shortest string to the sun and the second shortest to the planet Mercury and so on. The longest rope will be attached to the planet Uranus.
- Let the glue dry.
Step 3. Tie the other end of the rope attached to the planets to the crutches in the correct order of the planets
The sun should be first to the left of the crutches.
- Space each planet a sufficient distance. You don't want the planets to touch while hanging.
- Secure the string or thread to the stick by applying a dot of glue.
- Let dry.
Step 4. Balance your hanging ornaments
You will hang it using string or black thread.
- Tie long strings to the ends of the sticks and secure them with glue.
- Balance the stick with the rope, adjusting the length of the rope at both ends.
- Make sure the stick is level, then tie the two ropes at both ends of the stick tightly.
- Use the remaining rope to hang hanging ornaments from the ceiling.
Tips
- Make sure everything is glued together.
- You may have to color your planets on newsprint to prevent your work area from becoming cluttered.
- Be careful when using x-acto scissors and knives.
- Also be careful with your hanging ornaments, as they are prone to damage.
- You can also use cardboard instead of Styrofoam balls.
