How to Understand the Big Bang

Introduction

An unimaginably long time ago—perhaps as few as 13 billion years, perhaps as many as 20—our universe sprang into existence in an incredibly hot and dense fireball. This “Big Bang,” as physicists call it, is an easy concept to intuitively grasp, but a difficult one to really understand. The following points will give you a firmer grounding in this cosmological theory.

Steps

1 Step One

Abandon your preconceived notions of time and space. It’s a common error to picture the Big Bang happening in a preexisting space, like a bomb going off in a big room. But the Big Bang actually created space, as well as all the matter and energy in the universe. This makes the Big Bang (technically) impossible to picture, though it can’t hurt to try.

2 Step Two

Picture space expanding in all directions. Another naïve belief about the Big Bang is that it implies that the universe has a “center” from which everything expands, as in an ordinary explosion. However, because the Big Bang created space as well as matter, every galaxy in the universe today is speeding away from most every other galaxy, so the universe has no geographic center (except in a hard-to-visualize fourth-dimensional sense).

3 Step Three

The Big Bang didn’t originate from nothing. Even though matter and energy didn’t exist before the Big Bang (whatever “before” means in this context), the rules of quantum physics and general relativity presumably did exist, thus allowing the universe to spring into being. In short, if there were no preexisting laws of physics, none of us would be here!

4 Step Four

Don’t be too concerned about the timing. Measuring the light of distant galaxies (and thus calculating how fast they’re rushing away from our own galaxy) is a delicate task. For this reason, the precise timing of the Big Bang (within a half-billion years or so) tends to fluctuate by a few billion years at any given time. This doesn’t mean there’s something intrinsically wrong with the theory; it just means that the measurements haven’t quite caught up to the mathematics.

5 Step Five

Understand that the Big Bang isn’t the end of the story. Today, very few physicists believe in an unadorned Big Bang. A period of “inflation” is usually thrown in (a split-second after the initial explosion) that multiplies the volume of space by an exponential amount. Despite these corrections to the original theory, though, all the evidence still points to the singular origin of our universe in a Big Bang-like event.

How to Research Facts About Mars

Introduction

Mars is the planet closest to Earth. This little planet has so much to offer to students not only of science, but also of history and mythology, thanks to Greek and Roman legend.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access
• Astronomy books
• Mythology books
• Biology books
• Geology books
• Chemistry books

Steps

1 Step One

Search science and astronomy Web sites and books to learn about the best-known aspect of Mars--the popular belief that it is the planet most likely to harbor life besides Earth. Make sure to look for facts about Mars's atmosphere, surface temperature, mass and orbit.

2 Step Two

Read up on mythology and ancient astronomy. Look for information about the planet's place in Roman mythology as the god of war, probably due to its red color, and in Greek mythology as Ares. Also, make sure to look for facts about Greek astronomy.

3 Step Three

Look for information about how Mars was considered the best candidate for harboring extraterrestrial life before space exploration. Astronomers thought they saw straight lines crisscrossing its surface, leading to the popular belief that irrigation canals on the planet had been constructed by intelligent beings. We now know these features are simply natural landforms caused by ancient lava or water flows.

4 Step Four

Learn that Mars is easily visible with the unaided eye when it is in the night sky, and appears as a small red disk through telescopes. Features on its surface, especially the white ice caps, are best viewed every two years when it is closest to Earth.

5 Step Five

Explore how the canyons and dried-up riverbeds on Mars suggest that water once flowed there in abundance, leaving open the question of Mars sustaining life at some time in the past. Be sure to also study how Mars currently prevents the formation of living organisms.

6 Step Six

Look at the first closeup pictures of Mars taken by Mariner 4 in July 1965 and those of Viking 1 and 2 from the surface of Mars in July and September 1976. Learn how the three biology experiments aboard the landers provided no clear evidence of the presence of living microorganisms in the soil near the landing sites.

7 Step Seven

Learn about the geological data and many pictures sent by Mars Pathfinder in 1997 and the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity in 2004.

How to View the Lyrid Meteor Showers

Introduction

Meteor activity diminishes from January to April, but mid-April brings the Lyrid Meteors, first observed in China in 700 BCE. Stargazers can expect to see one or two shooting stars every few minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Film
• Binoculars
• Blankets
• SLR Camera
• Camera Accessories
• Telescopes
• Sky And Telescope Subscriptions
• Lawn Chairs
• Telescope Tripods
• Telescope Cleaning Kits
• Telescope Camera Adapters
• Telescope T-rings For Camera
• Telescope Dew Caps
• Telescope Light-pollution Filters
• Video Cameras

Steps

1 Step One

Mark your calendar for the Lyrid meteor shower that occurs in mid to late April, peaking around the 21st or 22nd.

2 Step Two

Watch for Lyrid meteors late at night. The best viewing times are after midnight, and the showers peak between 3 AM and dawn.

3 Step Three

Dress warmly.

4 Step Four

Use a patio chaise lounge and a thick blanket so you can recline while watching.

5 Step Five

Set aside your binoculars or telescope with their narrow field of view. They're great for observing the night sky, but they're counterproductive when watching meteor showers.

6 Step Six

Look for the constellation Lyra. The Lyrid meteor shower occurs when Lyra is visible above the horizon.

7 Step Seven

Look for Lyra about 50 degrees above the horizon some two hours after midnight. It is a four-star constellation near Vega, the brightest star in that part of the sky.

8 Step Eight

Expect all meteors to appear to emanate from a point near Lyra because of an optical illusion called a radiant point.

Tips & Warnings

• Vega, the constellation Lyra, and the radiant point of the Lyrid meteor shower are in a one o'clock position from the Northern Cross (Cygnus) constellation.
• The International Meteor Organization predicts the Lyrid peak in 2000 will be from April 21st, 2200 hours Universal Time to April 22nd, 0500 hours Universal Time.
• The International Meteor Organization says the Lyrid display will "suffer from bright waning gibbous moonlight this year."
• There is also a Lyrid peak on the 15th of June, but the light of a full moon will diminish sightings.

How to Make a Simple Telescope

Introduction

Create your very own, totally manual Gallilean telescope!

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard Tubes
• Glue Guns
• Convex And Concave Telescope Lenses

Steps

1 Step One

Acquire a pair of lenses - a large convex lens and a small concave one. (Convex lenses are thicker in the center than at the edge; concave ones are thinner in the center.)

2 Step Two

Find two cardboard tubes that will allow one to slide inside the other.

3 Step Three

Figure out how far apart the lenses should be by looking through the smaller lens while holding the larger one out in front of you. When you can focus on an object in the distance, measure how far it is between the two lenses.

4 Step Four

Double that measurement. The length of the two tubes should be about this long.

5 Step Five

Fasten the larger lens on one end of the wider tube. Hot glue is good for this.

6 Step Six

Mount the smaller lens at the opening of the smaller tube. This is the eyepiece.

7 Step Seven

Build a gasket from cardboard or Styrofoam if the tube opening is larger than the lens.

8 Step Eight

Make sure the lenses line up with each other. The centers should be in the centers of the tubes and the lenses should be parallel with each other.

Tips & Warnings

• Magnifying glasses are convex lenses.
• The best type of lenses are a low-power convex lens and a higher-powered concave one.
• Ask at an optical shop for discarded lenses.
• If you can't see anything or only pick up part of an object when looking through the telescope, check the lens alignment.
• Don't look at the sun through these lenses.

How to Locate a Deep Sky Object

Introduction

A deep sky object is a compact field of stars, gas or another galaxy. Astronomers did not know what they were when telescopes were first turned to the heavens. Photography and other imaging tools have helped us learn more about these interesting sights in the sky.

Using the Naked Eye and Binoculars

Things You'll Need

• Insect Repellents
• Warm Clothes
• Telescopes
• Sky And Telescope Subscriptions
• Telescope Eyepieces
• Star Charts
• Lawn Chairs
• Telescope Flashlights

Steps

1 Step One

Go to a place that is well away from city lights (over 60 miles away is best) and that has no direct lights nearby. You can see some of the deep sky objects with your naked eye if you are in a dark enough place.

2 Step Two

Allow 15 minutes or more after stepping out of a lit area for your eyes to adapt.

3 Step Three

Look for the Milky Way galaxy during the evening hours. It will extend across the sky through the constellations of Cygnus and Sagittarius during the summer months and through Auriga and above Orion in the winter months.

4 Step Four

Use a star chart to locate some of the bright constellations listed below. You should be able to see some of these objects using the naked eye and a set of binoculars.

5 Step Five

Find Orion in winter. Under the belt of Orion (three stars near the middle) is the sword. The fuzzy bright area of the sword is the M42 Orion Nebula. The Pleiades (Seven Sisters) are an open cluster, as is the cluster of stars near the head of Taurus the Bull.

6 Step Six

Find Hercules in spring. Under the eastern shoulder is M13. It will appear as a fuzzy star. This is a globular cluster of over a million stars.

7 Step Seven

Locate Sagittarius in summer. Above the teapot shape of this constellation are two emission nebulae numbered M8 and M20.

8 Step Eight

Locate Andromeda near Pegasus in the autumn. The fuzzy area near the center of Andromeda is the famed M31 Galaxy.

Tips & Warnings

• These brighter objects are located on maps of the sky as found in publications such as "Sky and Telescope" and "Astronomy." Other charts such as "Norton's Star Atlas" will also show these objects relative to the brighter stars.

Using a Telescope

Steps

1 Step One

Use your binoculars or finder scope to locate the object before using your telescope. Again, the darker the observing location, the better.

2 Step Two

Start by locating, near the deep sky object, a star that can be seen in the finder telescope.

3 Step Three

Use a detailed chart of the stars and move from the brighter star to the dimmer stars matching the patterns in the charts until you reach the area of the deep sky object.

4 Step Four

Look around the edge of the eyepiece but pay attention to what is seen by the corner of your eye. Sometimes you will see the object out of the corner of your eye only, and when you try to focus directly on it, you cannot see it. This is called averted vision. The light receptors toward the outside of your normal vision field are better at picking up dim objects.

5 Step Five

Look for the target deep sky object with minimal magnification. The largest diameter eyepiece will produce the lowest magnification. If you have a 1-inch and a 1/2-inch eyepiece, use the 1-inch one to locate the object.

6 Step Six

Start with the brightest deep sky objects first. Deep sky objects often appear as fuzzy stars or diffuse areas. It is easy to glance past them until your eye becomes trained on what to spot.

7 Step Seven

Try higher magnification for some objects after finding them. Most planetary nebulae are best seen with high magnification. Larger objects such as galaxies and clusters are often best seen with lower magnification eyepieces.

8 Step Eight

Don't expect the object to appear as it does in photographs. Deep sky objects are diffuse and dim to the eye. There will be no color visible except in the very largest of telescopes. You won't see deep red or bright blue as many photographs show.

Tips & Warnings

• Light-polluted sky conditions will result in the deep sky object being lost against the background light. It will be washed out, and you will not be able to see it very well or not at all.

Overall Tips & Warnings

• Obtain a good star chart or atlas that lists bright stars and deep sky objects.
• The larger the telescope, the better - an 8-inch or larger telescope is recommended.
• Use a red-covered or red-lit flashlight for reading the star chart.

How to View the Perseid Meteor Showers

Introduction

If, around August 12th, you go outside between midnight and dawn and look up for a minute or so, you'll most likely spot a meteor streaking through the sky. The August Perseid meteors were the first that astronomers associated with a particular comet. In the mid 1860s, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli observed that Perseids followed the appearance of the Swift-Tuttle Comet.

Things You'll Need

• Film
• Cameras
• Binoculars
• Sleeping Bags
• Digital Cameras
• Camera Accessories
• Camera Tripod
• Telescopes
• Sky And Telescope Subscriptions
• Telescope Camera Adapters
• Red-lens Flashlights With A Red-tinted Lens
• Patio Chairs

Steps

1 Step One

Watch for Perseid meteors in the night skies from July 23rd to August 22nd.

2 Step Two

Get away from artificial light if possible.

3 Step Three

Dress appropriately for nighttime viewing. As a summer event, Perseids may be one of the few meteor showers you can observe in shirtsleeves.

4 Step Four

Look toward constellation Perseus for the radiant point of Perseid meteors. They'll seem to come from that area, which is about halfway above the horizon in the northeast quadrant of the sky.

5 Step Five

Begin your search for Perseids after 10 p.m. (although the best viewing comes from midnight until dawn).

6 Step Six

Recline with your feet facing due south and look straight up. Perseids should appear to come from over your left shoulder.

Tips & Warnings

• Meteors flame through the Earth's atmosphere when our planet passes through the tail of a comet. Miniscule particles, some like grains of sand, plunge into our atmosphere at fantastic speeds and vaporize, creating streaks of light as they burn.
• A flashlight with a red-tinted lens cover allows you to move around in the dark without diminishing your night vision.
• According to Gary W. Kronk, author of "Cometography," the Perseid meteor shower is "the most famous of all meteor showers. It never fails to provide an impressive display and, due to its summertime appearance, it tends to provide the majority of meteors seen by non-astronomy enthusiasts."
• Swift-Tuttle last passed close to the Earth in 1992, and as many as 500 Perseid meteors per hour were seen in parts of Europe. Activity at that level will not be observed again until 2126, when the comet again swings through our solar system.
• Looking directly at the radiant point causes meteors to appear faint and slow-moving.

How to Stargaze (for beginners!)

Introduction

Finding your way through the nightsky is easy, if you know what you're looking for.

Things You'll Need

• Star charts are optional. These can be found in your local science store, and can cost you as little as a few dollars.

Steps

1 Step One

This exercise is designed for the fall months. Once you get outside, give your eyes several minutes to adjust to the darkness. Astronomers often rely on extra vitamin A (think carrots!)- it helps improve your night vision. Try not to use artificial lights outside if you can help it. This will also help preserve your night vision.

2 Step Two

This picture shows an exaggerated (brighter) version of what you are looking for.

One of the easiest objects to find is the Big Dipper. It is always found in the northern sky. A compass is a great way to try to find it for the first few times, but with practice, you'll know just where to look. In fall, it is between north, and northwest. Start by looking for three bright stars just above the horizon that form a wide triangle pointing up(on the left in the picture). These three represent the tail.

3 Step Three

Once you have found the three stars in the tail, look over slightly to the right and find the square that makes up the "pan" of the dipper. You should be seeing at LEAST six or seven stars, depending on how bright city lights are where you live.

4 Step Four

Once you have found the pan of the Big Dipper, look at the two stars on the end of the dipper on the right side. They should be the two vertical stars on the end of the dipper. Starting with the one closest to the horizon (the bottom right in the picture), draw a line with your finger up and to the right to hit the next star(the upper right in the picture). Continue until you hit another star about 2/3 of the way up the sky.

5 Step Five

Congratulations! You have found Polaris. This star is also known as the North Star, and this method can help you find north any time of the year.

How to Photograph an Eclipse of the Sun

Introduction

The few minutes of time that the sun is totally eclipsed by the moon are precious. If this is your first eclipse experience, plan on enjoying the first half of the event visually before trying to photograph it. You can always trade photographs with your new friends from the eclipse chase later.

Shooting a Total Eclipse

Things You'll Need

• White Cardboard
• 200 Mm - 2000 Mm Camera Lenses
• 400 ISO Film
• Camera Bags
• Camera Batteries
• Camera Filters
• Camera Tripod
• Cameras
• Digital Cameras
• Flash Cables
• Telescope T-rings For Camera
• Telescope Camera Adapters
• Telescope Carrying Cases
• Telescope Filters
• Telescope Tripods
• Telescopes

Steps

1 Step One

Set up your equipment early. You'll need a tripod and cable release to minimize vibration for short exposures; a steady platform for longer exposures.

2 Step Two

Load your camera with fast (ASA 400) slide film.

3 Step Three

Use a long focal length lens ranging from 200 to 2,000 mm. Longer focal lengths won't show the complete disk of the moon on the film, but will show details of the prominences better.

4 Step Four

Shoot a range of exposures.

5 Step Five

Use the 200mm lens for exposures of several seconds to get the outer coronal features.

6 Step Six

Shoot a range of 1/500 second to 2 seconds if you're using a guided telescope.

7 Step Seven

Save an exposure or two for the diamond ring. Use a setting of about 1/125 second to capture both the emerging sun and some of the corona.

8 Step Eight

Remember to enjoy the total eclipse. If your camera doesn't function during the eclipse, sit back and enjoy the view, then get upset.

Tips & Warnings

• You can shoot pictures of an eclipse on a ship. You must use shorter exposures, as the ship is moving.

Shooting a Partial or Annular Eclipse

Steps

1 Step One

Use a regular camera and take pictures of the projected image of the eclipsed sun.

2 Step Two

Shoot the projected image and some of the people who are viewing the eclipse with you. Have one of them hold the projected image sheet and take a normal group picture.

3 Step Three

Use a solar filter and a camera that can be attached to longer focal length lenses or a telescope to take pictures directly of the moon eclipsing the sun.

4 Step Four

Make sure the solar filter is suitable for the purpose of viewing and photography of the sun. If the filter isn't strong enough, you could ruin your camera and your eyes.

5 Step Five

Load your camera with 400 speed slide film.

6 Step Six

Attach a lens with a focal length of 200 to 2,000 mm. The size of the image of the sun will be the focal length of your lens divided by 100. A 200mm lens will result in an image that's 2mm in size on the film (slide or negative). A 2,000mm lens will produce an image that's 20mm in size.

7 Step Seven

Mount the solar filter at the front of all optics. It should not mount on the eyepiece.

8 Step Eight

Set up a tripod to hold the camera steady with the longer lens. A cable release is also recommended for longer focal lengths.

9 Step Nine

Use the light meter in the camera to gauge the exposure for your film.

Tips & Warnings

• Two common material types are used in making solar filters for telescopes and cameras. Mylar filters will create a blue image. Glass filters will generally produce an orange or yellow image. In our experience, glass filters are better for photography; Mylar, better for viewing.
• We use 400 speed film (slides) at an exposure of 1/250 second with a 90mm f/18 telescope and camera combination. As the eclipse passes the 50 percent point, we start using 1/125 second.

How to Observe a Star Cluster

Introduction

A star cluster is a group of stars that often formed together and are now attracted to one another as a result of their gravity. There are star clusters throughout the galaxy, many of which are still amidst massive nurseries where new stars are being formed. It's easy to observe some of the more prevalent star clusters if you know where to look, and with a telescope you can spot them regardless of where in the world you live.

Things You'll Need

• Star chart
• Telescope or binoculars

Steps

1 Step One

Know which type of cluster you wish to observe. Globular star clusters can contain hundreds to millions of stars and can be 30 or more light years in diameter (Omega Centauri, for example). Open clusters, on the other hand, are usually small with a handful of young, bright stars (the Pleiades in the constellation Taurus, for example).

2 Step Two

Consult a star chart or astronomy software or use the Internet to find the coordinates of the star cluster you wish to observe. There are plenty of websites maintained by astronomy enthusiasts that contain databases of star cluster coordinates.

3 Step Three

Set your telescope to point in the direction of the star cluster you wish to observe. Celestial coordinates are given in terms of Right Ascension (left or right along the horizon) and Declination (up and down along the circle of the sky).

4 Step Four

Adjust the declination setting on your telescope above or below the ecliptic (the path the sun appears to follow as the Earth spins). Coordinates with negative values are considered below the ecliptic, but not necessarily below the horizon.

5 Step Five

Turn the telescope to face the proper point of right ascension. It is important to remember that right ascension actually tracks left across the sky as the coordinate numbers increase.

6 Step Six

Use astronomy software to point your telescope toward the star cluster without having to calibrate its position yourself. Many astronomy software suites are capable of automatically adjusting the telescope to point at observable objects.

7 Step Seven

Choose a place for the telescope that has less ambient light. City lights and other light pollution can limit the effectiveness of the telescope.

How to Find Constellations in the Winter Sky

Introduction

Have you ever wanted to be able to find constellations in the night sky? Then, here are some helpful hints for finding many constellations easily seen in the winter!

The group of constellations covered in this tutorial is known as the Winter Circle, and is visible from late Fall through early Spring. With this set of directions, you should be able to find all of these with great ease! Happy stargazing!

Things You'll Need

• A clear night

Steps

1 Step One

Start by finding Orion (in the picture), usually identified by his belt of three stars and the four stars around them marking his shoulders. The four stars, starting with the left shoulder as you look at him and going clockwise, are Betelgeuse, Belatrix, Rigel, and Saiph.

2 Step Two

Look at the three belt stars. Draw an imaginary line through them and continue to the left. You will come to a bright blue star, Sirius. This star is the brightest one in the Northern Hemisphere, and is also called the Dog Star. It earned this name by being the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, which looks like two triangles coming down from, and to the left of, Sirius.

3 Step Three

Look at the three belt stars again, and this time draw a line through them traveling to the right. You will see a bright red star called Aldebaran. This is the brightest star in Taurus, the Bull, which looks like a V, with a body and prancing legs to the right of the V.

4 Step Four

On Taurus' back, there is a small cluster of stars. If you look closely on a moonless night, there appear to be six stars, although there are really seven! This cluster is known as the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters.

5 Step Five

Go back to Orion. Start at Saiph (the lower left hand star), draw a line up through the middle star of the belt, continue on through Belatrix (the upper right hand star), and continue on to a bright star, Capella. Capella is the bright star in a pentagon known as Auriga, the Charioteer.

6 Step Six

Look at Orion. This time, start with Rigel (the lower right blue star), draw a line through the middle belt star, through Betelgeuse (the upper right red star), and continue on to two equally bright stars. These are Castor and Pollux, the bright stars in Gemini, the Twins. You can easily remember which star is which by remembering that Castor is the star closer to Capella. Two fainter stars help form a rectangle outlining the Twins.

7 Step Seven

The last constellation in this collection is called Canis Minor, the Little Dog. The brighter star of the two that make up this constellation is called Procyon. Canis Minor is below Gemini and above Canis Major.

Overall Tips & Warnings

• If you find yourself having trouble finding Orion to start, start by finding the North Star and turn your back to it. Orion is usually found in the southern sky (if you are in the Northern Hemisphere).

How to Care for Your Telescope

Introduction

Be cautious when caring for your telescope. Cleaning the optics can do more damage than letting the dust sit on them.

General Maintenance

Things You'll Need

• Towels
• De-mineralized Water
• Telescope Mirrors
• Large Cotton Balls And Swabs Balls
• 2 Hand Towels
• Telescopes
• Plastic Storage Containers
• Dishwashing Detergent
• Sky And Telescope Subscriptions
• Telescope Eyepieces
• Telescope Mountings
• Blower Brushes
• Bulb
• Camel's Hair Brushes
• Lens Caps

Steps

1 Step One

Buy or make a hood to protect the telescope when not in use.

2 Step Two

Keep the lens cap on when not in use. Make a lens cap for your eyepiece out of the top of a plastic film canister.

3 Step Three

Store your telescope facing down to keep dust from collecting on the lenses.

4 Step Four

Store extra eyepieces and lenses in sealed plastic bags or food containers.

5 Step Five

Avoid touching the lens or mirrors with your fingers at all times. The dirt and oils from your skin can damage them.

6 Step Six

Clean the touched surface as soon as possible if you did touch it.

7 Step Seven

Know that, unless done with extreme care and gentleness, cleaning lenses or mirrors often causes tiny scratches called sleeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Dirty telescope optics can always be cleaned, but scratched optics can only be replaced.
• Don't shine a light down the telescope tube and then clean it on the basis of what you see. It will always appear dirty when viewed this way. Often you will do more damage cleaning your telescope than leaving it alone.

Cleaning the Mirror

Steps

1 Step One

Remove any jewelry from your hands and arms.

2 Step Two

Clean out the kitchen sink and place a towel on the bottom of it.

3 Step Three

Fill the sink with lukewarm tap water and a little bit of detergent.

4 Step Four

Place the mirror in the sink and swab it with sterile cotton.

5 Step Five

Drain the sink.

6 Step Six

Fill the sink with de-mineralized or distilled water and rinse the mirror.

7 Step Seven

Remove the mirror when rinsed and place it on a folded towel to the side of the sink. Let it air-dry completely.

Eyepieces and Accessories

Steps

1 Step One

Clean your eyepiece using a blower brush or a blower bulb.

2 Step Two

Avoid air canisters or blowing dust off with your mouth. Both of these methods can put moisture on the glass.

3 Step Three

Use the softest possible camel's hair brush with uncut bristles to brush dirt off the glass.

4 Step Four

Store all accessories separately in sealed containers.

How to Build a Solar System

Introduction

The solar system is a wondrous creation filled with planets, moons, asteroids, comets and the sun. Study the solar system up close and personal by creating a model that demonstrates the differences in sizes of the plants and their distances from the sun. You'll learn more about the solar system after you make this solar system model mobile from simple items found in a hobby or craft store.

Things You'll Need

• Acrylic paint in a variety of colors
• Paint brush
• 1 1-inch plastic foam ball
• 1 1 1/4-inch plastic foam ball
• 1 1 1/2-inch plastic foam ball
• 2 2-inch plastic foam balls
• 2 2 1 /2 –inch plastic foam balls
• 1 3-inch plastic foam ball
• 1 4-inch plastic foam ball
• 1 6-inch plastic foam ball
• Package of pipe cleaners in assorted colors
• 2 18-inch wooden dowel rods, each 1/4-inch diameter
• Clear fishing line
• Small paper clips
• Clear glue

Steps

1 Step One

Paint the plastic foam balls to correspond to what they represent according to the list that follows. For example, you may want to paint the Sun yellow and Mars red because these are the colors most often associated with them.

Sun—6-inch ball
Mercury—1 1/4-inch ball
Venus—2-inch ball
Earth—2-inch ball
Mars—1 1/2-inch ball
Jupiter—4-inch ball
Saturn—3-inch ball
Uranus—2 1/2-inch ball
Neptune—2 1/2-inch ball
Pluto—1-inch ball

2 Step Two

Tie the dowels together with fishing line into an X shape. The planets and sun will hang from this framework. Find a place to temporarily hang your mobile with more fishing line.

3 Step Three

Arrange the pipe cleaners to create rings around both Saturn and Uranus. Twist pipe cleaners together and stick the pointed ends into each planet.

4 Step Four

Decide how far you want the sun to hang from the X-shaped wooden hanger. Cut the fishing line this length and tie one end to a paper clip. Insert the paper clip into the sun and reinforce it by adding a small amount of glue. Wait a couple of minutes for the glue to set, and then tie the other end of the line around the middle of the hanger.

5 Step Five

Cut 9 more pieces of fishing line within an inch of the same size as the line for the sun. You will want some variety in line length so that your planets are not all at the same level. For example, if your sun hangs down 12 inches, you may want 3 of your planets to hang 11 inches, 3 more to hang 12 inches and the last 3 to hang 13 inches.

6 Step Six

Tie one end of each string to a paper clip and insert it into a planet and reinforce it with glue. Position Uranus so that its rings encircle the planet vertically.

7 Step Seven

Attach Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, to the dowels. Tie each successive planet a little farther from the sun (see the table in step 1 for the order of the planets) with Pluto being the farthest from the sun. Tie planets on alternate dowels so that the planets circle all sides of the sun. Hang the mobile in a location where you'll be able to see it often.

Tips & Warnings

• In 2006, the International Astronomical Union stated that Pluto was not a planet, but some people refuse to let it go. Include Pluto in your solar system if you want.
• Go into greater detail by using toothpicks to attach moons to planets.

Consider painting your solar system with fluorescent or glow-in-the-dark paint