Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Using a hoop
• Method 2 of 3: Using wire and rigid foam
• Method 3 of 3: Using balloons
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

The solar system, or the collection of planets and other objects that revolve around our sun, is a common topic of study in school. By creating a model of the solar system, you will help your children or students understand the system better, or you will get a wonderful decoration for a science-themed room!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Using a hoop

1. 1 Collect everything you need. You will need a hoop, fishing line, lightweight balls of different sizes to depict the planets and the sun (the smaller they are, the more realistic you can depict the distances between them), paint to paint the balls, and duct tape.
   • You can use a variety of objects to represent the planets. You can use styrofoam balls, papier-mâché, clay, thread, toy balls, or whatever material you can find.
   • Make sure the balls are made of lightweight material, as heavy balls may not hold onto the hoop.
2. 2 Tie your fishing line to the hoop. You need to tie 4 sections of line to the hoop. Start on one side of the hoop, then pull the line to the opposite end, tying the two ends of the line in the middle of the hoop. The resulting line should be elastic. Repeat this step until 4 sections of line cut the hoop into multiple pieces, like a pie.
3. 3 Prepare the planets and the sun. Color the planets or transform them in any other way. Remember that the planets in the solar system are all different sizes and colors!
4. 4 Attach the planets and the Sun to the hoop. Cut 9 pieces of fishing line depending on how you want your planets to hang. Attach one end of the line to each planet and the Sun with glue or duct tape, and the other end to one of the eight pieces of line on the hoop. Anchor the Sun at the very center where all the lines intersect. Space the planets so that they are closer to or further from the sun.
5. 5 Hang up your solar system. Tie a loop of fishing line in the very center, where all the lines of the hoop intersect, to hang the system, or think of another way to hang it. That's all! Enjoy!

Method 2 of 3: Using wire and rigid foam

1. 1 Prepare the planets and the sun. You will need a large ball of hard foam or foam for the sun. For planets, you can use smaller objects, such as pebbles or painted clay balls. Make sure to color them so they look like planets.
2. 2 Make a base. Use a thick wire or wood dowel and a foam cone / hemisphere (or other suitable base). Stick a wire or dowel into the base, leaving enough wire to stick it at least halfway into your Sun, and an extra 2 cm between the Sun and the base. Then glue the styrofoam to a wood or other heavy surface that you can use as a base.
3. 3 Attach the Sun. Slide the Sun into a wire or dowel, leaving 2cm between the sphere and the base.
4. 4 Create branches from the wire. Take a long wire, thick enough to hold its shape but flexible enough to be bent with pliers. Wrap one end of each of the 8 pieces of wire around the area between the Sun and the base, then roll the edges in an L shape to provide space for each of the 8 planets around the Sun. Adjust the length and height of each wire to place the planets in the correct order and position.
   • Set the planets so that the farthest planet from the sun is on the lowest wire, and the closest is on the highest wire.
5. 5 Attach the planets. After securing all the pieces of wire, attach the planets to them with glue or duct tape. Enjoy the solar system with planets that fully orbit the sun!

Method 3 of 3: Using balloons

1. 1 Inflate some balloons. Inflate 9 balloons of different sizes.
2. 2 Cover the balls with papier-mâché. Glue the papier-mâché balls over so that the tops of the balls (where they are tied) remain exposed. Dry the papier-mâché, then burst and remove the balls.
3. 3 Round off the resulting balls. Use extra papier-mâché strips to close the balloon holes and generally make all balls more spherical.
4. 4 Color your planets and the Sun. Color the papier-mâché balls using regular acrylic or tempera paints.
5. 5 Link your planets and the Sun. Take a long string and attach the planets and the Sun to it in the correct order. Stretch the thread under the ceiling and enjoy!

Tips

• You can make the rings of Saturn and Uranus from cardboard or foam board!
• Colors of the planets: (Mercury = gray-brown), (Venus = gold), (Earth = blue and green), (Mars = reddish brown), (Jupiter = brown and white with a large spot), (Saturn = light brown with rings), (Neptune = greenish blue), and (Uranus = blue).

Warnings

• Be careful with the scissors and other tools you will be using to create the solar system.
• Ask an adult to hang your solar system.
• Don't put too much weight on your solar system.

What do you need

• Wire
• Solid foam
• Styrofoam
• Glue
• Dye