How to Fly Like Michael Jordan in Space Jam

In this project, we used basic magnetics to create a floating star sculpture. It is aesthetically pleasing and is fairly easy to make. It will amaze people and inspire them to reach for the stars.

For this project you will need:

1. Neodymium magnets (6)
2. Clear Pyrex bowl or similar glass bowl
3. Copper wire
4. Cardboard box
5. Strong, large magnets (4)
6. String
7. Tape
8. Aluminum Foil
9. Decorations

Make a stack of 5 strong, rectangular magnets. Take a cardboard box and cut out a rectangle in the middle to fit the magnets into. Place the magnets on a flat piece of cardboard, and then place the box on top of the magnets to make the base.

Cut out a 6-pointed star made with equalateral triangles and made from cardboard. Attach one neodymium magnet to each point of the star. Make sure they are all pointed in the same direction and opposite from the magnets in the base. Finally, cover the star in aluminum foil.

Using about one foot of thin copper wire, make a coil by wrapping the wire tightly around a pencil. Stretch the coil into a circle that will fit evenly in the bottom of the bowl. Attach strings to each point of the star made in the previous step and then attach the other ends of the strings to the coil. We do this so that the star will not flip or fly away because the magnets might be too powerful.

Place the glass bowl on top of the base so that the magnets are exactly centered under the bowl. Place the star and copper wire coil in the bottom of the bowl. Balance the star so that it can float evenly in the air.

In our project, we added space print paper to cover the base and set a background. We also covered the coil with paper, and added lights by taping them around the sculpture to add to a mysterious effect.