By Lindsay Pietroluongo
Updated Mar 24, 2022

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Building a solar‑system model is a classic classroom project, but why settle for a static display? With just a few household items and a classic record player, you can create a dynamic model that illustrates both planetary rotation and revolution. Below is a step‑by‑step guide that balances practicality with educational value, making it suitable for teachers, hobbyists, and curious minds alike.

What You’ll Need

• 1 large Styrofoam ball (for the Sun)
• 8 small Styrofoam balls (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune)
• Assorted acrylic paint and brushes
• Record player with working motor (any turntable will do)
• 1 ¾‑inch wooden dowel
• Various lengths of wooden sticks or sturdy cable
• Drill with bits for wood and plastic
• Glue (hot glue or strong adhesive)

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Paint the Planets
   Using reference photos or textbook illustrations, paint each of the eight Styrofoam balls to match their real‑world colors and relative sizes. This step ensures your model is visually accurate and engaging.
2. Paint the Sun
   Apply a bright yellow coat to the large Styrofoam ball to represent the Sun.
3. Prepare the Dowel
   Drill a centered hole at one end of the dowel big enough to slide over the record player’s spindle. Then drill four non‑parallel, non‑overlapping holes through the dowel’s body at varying heights. These will anchor the planetary sticks.
4. Attach the Sun to the Dowel
   Glue a small amount of adhesive into the Sun’s center hole, then insert the dowel’s tip. Ensure the Sun is centered on the dowel so it can rotate freely.
5. Mount the Dowel on the Turntable
   Apply a thin layer of glue or a light adhesive to the record player’s spindle and slide the dowel onto it. The dowel should spin smoothly; the record player’s motor is the only functional component required.
6. Insert the Sticks
   Push wooden sticks (or thick cable) through the pre‑drilled holes. Trim them so equal lengths protrude from each side of the dowel, providing stable support for the planets.
7. Attach the Planets
   Drill shallow holes into each small Styrofoam planet. Glue them onto the sticks at distances that approximate the real orbital spacing (you can use a solar‑system calculator online to scale the measurements).
8. Spin It Up
   Turn on the record player. The dowel will rotate, making the Sun appear to spin while the planets revolve around it, demonstrating both rotation and revolution in one cohesive display.

Tips & Variations

• If you prefer not to drill, thin but sturdy cable can replace wooden sticks; just ensure it can bear the planet’s weight.
• The dowel’s length is flexible—6 inches is a safe minimum to accommodate the turntable and planetary attachments, but longer dowels allow for larger models.
• For a scale‑accurate model, use a free online solar‑system calculator to determine appropriate planet sizes and orbital distances.
• Note: Since 2006, Pluto is classified as a dwarf planet and is omitted from the main list.

TL;DR

The record player’s motor must be functional; the rest can be assembled from common supplies. A dowel at least 6 inches long works well. Cable can replace sticks if needed. Scale the model using an online calculator. Pluto is no longer considered a planet.