Solar System model

[billybradshaw]

Afternoon all,

I'd like to build a model (albeit not to scale.....) of the Solar System with my children. There are loads of kits on the market but I'm just wondering if anybody else has done this and whether you could recommend a particular kit, etc.

Ta very much

Ian

[Eric Mc]

No help on the actual best models around but you might like to know that the official name for this type of model is an Orrery. They were thus called because the first one made was gifted to Charles Boyle, the 4th Earl of Orrery in 1704.

The Boyles were part of the Anglo-Irish nobility. Robert Boyle, of "Boyle's Law" fame was from the same family.

[billybradshaw]

Many thanks for that Eric. Every day is a school day.

The hunt for an Orrery continues.

Ta

Ian

[anonymous-user]

billybradshaw said:

Afternoon all,

I'd like to build a model (albeit not to scale.....) of the Solar System with my children.

Choose the child your are currently most annoyed with to be "uranus".......... ;-)


(also, as the universe is expanding, woun't it be difficult to use a fixed scale?? )

[jmorgan]

A good Orrery is on my shopping list, for the right price but suspect a good one is outside my wallet. However. Sure I saw a kit at the science museum when there last. Probably on line. Could DIY it as well, for learning fun. Ping pong balls etc all Blue Peter style?

[Crush]

These look good although I have no experience of them

http://www.planetaria.com.au/shop/


Scrub that, all out of stock

Edited by Crush on Wednesday 21st October 19:09

[Simpo Two]

You'll find a some on Amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-Resources-Geosafa...


I'd like a large wall-mounted orrery (antique style) that goes round like a clock - but there doesn't seem to be one.

[slybynight]

A good orrery will cost you a fortune. i think you can pretty much add a 0 for every moon. Build a basic one out of lego. it will at least teach them a bit about mechanics to make up for the wildly innacurrate idea of scale that they will be left with! My twopenneth is to build a scale one. Plenty of websites will do the calculations for you given the diameter of your model sun. I did it with my younguns for scout astronomy badge. It was very interesting. we used a space hopper as the sun. having to get in the car to drive to a friends house to place our uranus conker in her garden really put things in perspective.

Pun away you doubleentenderers! but it is seriously fun to travel at scale lightspeed and work out where the nearest star is in your model. Things like the voyager probes have made a lot more sense to me since.. pun away again!

[slybynight]

Right, Ive just read that back to myself on a very crowded quiet train and done a very embarrasing involuntary snorty laugh. Here's my advice. Build a scale model of the solar system. Never try to tell anyone about it. ever.

[billybradshaw]

I've found just what I'm after:

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-09/17/sol...

Ta

Ian

[Nimby]

billybradshaw said:

Afternoon all,

I'd like to build a model (albeit not to scale.....)

Ian

This calculator might be handy if you want to attempt a to-scale version. You'll need a lot of room, or a microscope.

http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemModel.php

[Simpo Two]

slybynight said:

Right, Ive just read that back to myself on a very crowded quiet train and done a very embarrasing involuntary snorty laugh.

'Uranus conker' is indeed a splendid new term for a Richard III.

[FiF]

Slybynight, thanks for those posts and the story.

How long before Uranus conker joins the PH standfasts along with Oxo tower, frozen sausages etc?

[pdrake007]

I'd recommend this magazine subscription (didn't actually realize you could still order the subscription, looks like it has been re-released and 'updated' this august. I did mine years ago when it first came out) http://www.build-solar-system.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwk...

I always wanted a decent Orrery, but as they are hundreds to thousands of pounds, I snapped at the chance of this one. Think it ends up being around £300, motorized and made from brass it weighs a fair bit! and you also get quite an interesting collection of magazines.

Looks like there are a few people selling the kits on eBay if you don't want to wait for each weeks issue.

[Simpo Two]

From that link I looked at Tellurians - wow.

http://www.my-time-machines.net/pouvillon_restorat...



Like steampunk but real

So much stuff out there, just do Google Images.

[MiseryStreak]

Great new film about building a scale model of the solar system on youtube:

https://youtu.be/zR3Igc3Rhfg

Apologies if a repost.

[marksx]

pdrake007 said:

I'd recommend this magazine subscription (didn't actually realize you could still order the subscription, looks like it has been re-released and 'updated' this august. I did mine years ago when it first came out) http://www.build-solar-system.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwk...

I always wanted a decent Orrery, but as they are hundreds to thousands of pounds, I snapped at the chance of this one. Think it ends up being around £300, motorized and made from brass it weighs a fair bit! and you also get quite an interesting collection of magazines.

Looks like there are a few people selling the kits on eBay if you don't want to wait for each weeks issue.

They look like these models:

http://www.orrerystore.com/index.html

Edited by marksx on Saturday 24th October 15:06

[maffski]

billybradshaw said:

...recommend a particular kit

I'd go with hydrogen, however some assembly may be required.

[Simpo Two]

maffski said:

billybradshaw said:

...recommend a particular kit

I'd go with hydrogen, however some assembly may be required.

'Hydrogen orrery kit' isn't getting me anywhere. Link?

[warp9]

MiseryStreak said:

Great new film about building a scale model of the solar system on youtube:

https://youtu.be/zR3Igc3Rhfg

Apologies if a repost.

There is a rough 1000 yd scale model you can do yourself http://www.spy-hill.net/myers/peppercorn/. Gonna do this on a beach in a couple of years when my son is old enough.