How to Create a Solar System

Last Updated: November 24, 2022 References

The solar system, or the series of planets and other objects which orbit our sun (Sol),^{[1]
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If you were looking for how to create a solar power system, see this article here.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Hula Hoop

1
Get your supplies. You'll need a hula hoop, fishing line, lightweight balls in various sizes to be the planets and Sun (the smaller they are, the more realistic the distances will be), paint to customize the balls, and tape.
- You can use lots of different items to be the planets. You can make them out of foam, styrofoam, papier mache, toy balls, clay, yarn, or any other material you can access.
- Just try to make sure that the balls are as light as possible, as the hoop might not be able to hold heavy items.
2
Tie the fishing line around the hula hoop. You will be tying 4 sections of fishing line around the hula hoop. Begin at one side of the hoop and cross directly over to the other, looping around the edges and tying the ends of the line at the center. The line should be taut. Do this until the 4 sections of string split the hoop like a pie or cake.

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3
Prepare your planets and Sun. Paint your planets or otherwise make them look how you want them to look. Remember to pay attention to the different sizes and colors of the real planets!^{[2]
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4
Attach the planets and Sun to the hoop. Cut 9 equal lengths of fishing line to however long you want the Sun and planets to hang. Tape or glue one end of the string to each of the planets and Sun, and then tie the other end of the string to each of the 8 sections of fishing line on the hoop. The Sun gets tied at the center, where all the lines meet up. Adjust the planets so that they are closer or further away from the sun.
5
Hang your planetary mobile. Tie a loop of fishing line to the center of the strings so that it can hang or find another way to hang your solar system. Enjoy! You are now done!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Wire and Foam

1
Prepare your planets and Sun. You'll need a large foam or styrofoam ball to be your Sun. Get smaller items, like marbles or painted balls of paper or clay to be your planets. Paint them as necessary to make them look like the planets.
2
Make a base. Get some thick gauge wire or a wooden dowel and a styrofoam cone/half sphere/other good base. Stick the wire or dowel into the base, leaving enough of the wire exposed at the top to go at least halfway into your sun with an extra 1" remaining between the top of the base and the bottom of the sun. Then, glue the styrofoam to a wooden or other heavy flat surface that you can use as a base.
3
Attach your Sun. Stick the Sun onto the dowel or wire, being careful to leave the extra 1" of space available below.
4
Create the wire arms. Take some long wire that is thick enough to hold its shape but malleable enough that you can bend it with tools like pliers. Wrap one end of each of 8 wires around the extra space below the Sun, and bend up the ends in an L shape in order to give you a spot to place each one of your planets. Adjust the arm's length and height to keep the planets in their correct order and line.
- The planets should be placed so that the furthest is on the lowest arm and the closest on the highest arm.^{[3]
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Attach your planets. Once all of the arms are attached, attach the planets to the arms using glue or tape. Enjoy your solar system model with fully orbiting planets!

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Balloons

1
Blow up some balloons. Blow 9 balloons at different sizes.
2
Papier mache the balloons. Papier mache the balloons so that the bottom portion where it starts to turn into a point is left uncovered. Let the papier mache dry and then pop and remove the balloons.
3
Round out the balls. Use strips of papier mache to close the gaps left by the balloon and make the overall shape more spherical.^{[4]
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4
Paint your planets and Sun. Paint the papier mache balls to resemble the planets using basic acrylic or tempera paints.
5
String your planets and Sun together. Get a long length of string and attach the planets and sun to the string in order. Tie up the string across a room and enjoy!

Community Q&A

Question

What color are Saturn's rings?

TomPN

Top Answerer

They're made from dust and water ice so they're probably a mucky grey color in real life. Most photos, however, show them as being the same color as Saturn: bands of yellow and brown shades.
Question

How do I make an asteroid?

Community Answer

Using clay you can find at an art store (a gray clay would look better), make a small ball. With the small gray ball of clay, spike it with a toothpick to make it look like an asteroid.
Question

What materials do I need to make a solar system?

Community Answer

You will need balloons, paint, string, a cardboard box, glue or double-sided tape.

Warnings

Don't put too much weight on your solar systems.

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Let an adult hang your solar system.

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