This project takes a few simple materials and turns them into a stunning space scene, while providing numerous learning opportunities for the whole family. The diorama isn't intended to provide any kind of correct scale in terms of the sizes of the planets or the distances between them, although we still chose different-sized polystyrene balls to give an overall impression of their relative sizes. You can use any size of balls for your planets, but make sure that they'll all fit in your box. We hung our planets in the correct order, but at different heights and depths - be as creative as you like. In ours, Saturn is hanging at an angle, although this was purely to save space!
Craft your cosmos
Before painting the box, remove or cover any shiny tape. We also lined the base of the box with a sheet of heavy-duty brown paper. This covered the flaps and gave a smoother back to our diorama. Painting the background is a fun, creative process that allows you to make a space scene in whatever style you like. We included nebula clouds, galaxies and stars, but you can use different colours, add comets, or even some fairy lights!
This story is from the September 2023 edition of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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