"Scale" Interactive Solar System Model for Your Schoolyard

Unfortunately, the finished product image is not yet available! We are waiting on grant approval. As soon as I get the supplies and planets in place, I will update with new photos. I am being hopeful we get this grant because...it's an awesome idea I have been working on for 3 years. When they sent the third "We are extending the deadline..." I thought THIS IS A SIGN!! So I applied.

Although I don't have final images, this is a very concrete idea and I am going to walk you through the process of planning an interactive Solar System with relative scale for your campus!

Note: The scale of the solar system model can not be exact due to constraints on size etc., however after many calculations and nights of dreaming...this is the scale I came up with that allows students to SEE the planets, see their relative spacing and be able to compare and contrast them.

Dearest Instructables Folks: I know this is not the COMPLETE project, but this includes all of the legwork I put in to calculate and conceptualize, so I hope it is sufficient!

To build this model to fit around a 1/4 mile track, you need the following materials:

Planets: Stainless Steel Gazing Balls. Note: Due to limitations, this will not be an EXACT Scale model. In order to do that, you need a lot more space! However, it will help students understand the relative distances and sizes of the gas giants and terrestrial planets.

1 x 20" Gazing Ball-Jupiter (Link: https://a.co/d/bivpi6N)

1 x 16" Gazing Ball-Saturn (Link: https://a.co/d/e9RoRdY)

2 x 10" Gazing Balls-Neptune & Uranus (Link: https://a.co/d/8KjxVS0)

2 x 6" Gazing Balls-Earth and Venus (Link: https://a.co/d/eOnmCoz)

1 x 3.5" Gazing Ball-Mars (Link: https://a.co/d/9dq6R5V)

1 x 2.5" Gazing Sphere- Mercury (Link: https://a.co/d/9dq6R5V-included in multipack that covers Mars and Earth)

Stands for Gazing Spheres:

2 x https://a.co/d/1LgPHBs for Uranus and Neptune

4x https://a.co/d/3TSTYgr for Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars

2x https://a.co/d/hOoXNAk Large plant stands for Saturn and Jupiter

Spray Paint: (All Items are Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2x, available at your local hardware store)

Primer 6 pack

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Flat-Gray-Primer-General-Purpose-Primer-Spray-334017/307244825

ivory spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Ivory-Silk-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334073/307244915

Aqua spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Aqua-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334059/307244871

stone gray spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Stone-Gray-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334086/307244952

cinnamon spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Cinnamon-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334061/307244866

green spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Gloss-Green-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334039/307244868

lemongrass spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Lemongrass-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334081/307244919

blue spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Gloss-Brilliant-Blue-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334027/307244835

oasis blue spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Oasis-Blue-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334085/307244923

st tropez spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-High-Gloss-St-Tropez-Ultra-Cover-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-Case-of-6-331175/326652760

down to earth spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Matte-Down-to-Earth-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-Case-of-6-372275/327331082

fossil spray paint

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Painter-s-Touch-2X-12-oz-Satin-Fossil-General-Purpose-Spray-Paint-334067/307244883#overlay

clear coat 6 pack

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Stops-Rust-12-oz-Protective-Enamel-Gloss-Crystal-Clear-Spray-Paint-6-Pack-7701830/202058776

Other Paint:

Miscellaneous Acrylic Paint colors to add details

If you want to add a ring to Saturn and/or Uranus:

Hula Hoops: https://a.co/d/932o0pY

Additional Materials:

Rubbing alcohol

paper towels

Drop cloth/tarp for painting on

1x Giant Inflatable Sun (If you so desire) https://a.co/d/0SMRYqk

1x Air Pump to inflate sun

1x Digital Measuring Wheel

1x Landscape adhesive to affix spheres to stands: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-PL-500-10-oz-L

4x Plastic Signs https://a.co/d/3gRDvNK

1x Permanent Vinyl Variety Pack (for lettering) https://a.co/d/2wfeY3A

1x Transfer Tape https://a.co/d/4XosVPd

Cricut Machine, Silhoutte Machine or similar cutting machine to make signs

PPE: Mask, goggles, gloves when painting (especially indoors! I recommend painting outside on a clear day that is not too hot, not too humid. I hear "April 25 is the perfect date")

Optional Student Supplies:

Clipboards: https://a.co/d/cC9eCd9

Digital Measuring Wheels: https://a.co/d/5n8XekV

First you must get approval from your administration, and then do a survey of your schoolyard. To do this part, I used Google Earth.

1. Log into Google Earth
2. Type in Address of School
3. Locate the prime location to plot your points
4. Begin marking and measuring the distance between each sphere.

Here is a visual screencast to demonstrate how to plot points and measure the distances in Google Earth:

(no sound): https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cT6XqHnblyU

Here is the "Scale" to allow students to see how close the terrestrial planets are versus how far apart the Gas Giants are.

From → To Distance (m)

Mercury → Venus 4.4 m

Venus → Earth 3.7 m

Earth → Mars 6.9 m

Mars → Jupiter 49.4 m

Jupiter → Saturn 58.1 m

Saturn → Uranus 129.2 m

Uranus → Neptune 150.1 m

Note: I am currently in this phase, as I am waiting for grant approval...but have done a year's worth of research, so here are the instructions:

Priming:

1. Clean the gazing spheres with alcohol and a lint-free cloth
2. Place spheres on a large tarp or drop cloth in a well-ventilated area
3. Apply primer first, in thin even coats. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for drying time.
4. Allow to dry fully between coats.

Painting:

1. Once you have primed all of the balls, you are ready to paint! I suggest doing this in batches, by color.
2. First, paint Mercury with "Stone Gray" or a similar color.
3. Spray paint Mars with "Cinnamon" or a similar color.
4. Spray Paint Venus with "Lemongrass" or a similar Color
5. For Earth, spray entire sphere with Blue Spray paint and allow to dry
6. For Uranus, spray entire sphere with "Aqua" or a similar color
7. For Neptune, spray entire sphere with "Oasis Blue" or a similar color
8. For Saturn, first spray entire sphere with "Ivory" spray paint
9. For Jupiter, first spray entire sphere with "Ivory" spray paint

Adding Details:

You can either hand-paint details using acrylic paint, or use stencils to add continents, etc. to Earth. You can cut out the template using stencil vinyl or non-permanent vinyl and place on sphere. Make sure to mask off any areas you do NOT want to get the paint on.

Sealing:

After all paint has cured and dried, apply several thin coats of UV resistant Clear Coat to protect your designs. Make sure paint is dry before rotating the spheres.

Now you are ready to attach the balls to the stands, which you can use the landscape adhesive to secure them.

After you have painted them all, you are ready to make the signs!

Now, you need to make your information signs! I created a Cricut file with information for each planet. Each planet will require 2 signs if you use this method. Here is the link to the Cricut File: https://design.cricut.com/landing/project-detail/68eac3e2f62fe1940bffd222

Cut the material with the Cricut and weed out the letters. Then use transfer tape to apply the vinyl to the signs. Place the signs by their respective planets for students to take notes on as they "Travel the Solar System!"

Now that you have your planets, signs, and stands ready to go, measure the distances and place them at the appropriate locations on your campus.

If you opted to purchase the giant inflatable sun, place that in the location you desire.

Last and most important: STEP INTO THE SOLAR SYSTEM!

Take your students out with their planet information charts and have them explore and record their notes.