How to make a home planetarium with your own hands

How to make a mini planetarium from a sleeve and a flashlight?

Author Nikolay
March 11, 2016, 16:00

It’s very simple to make an exciting toy for a 3-7 year old child that will not only entertain him, but also teach him to recognize constellations. To do this, you won’t need anything that you don’t already have at home, and the resulting portable “mini-planetarium” will be much more useful and enjoyable than, say, a new branded doll from a popular animated series. In addition, this toy is so easy to make that you can easily make it together with your child - he will probably be only too happy to help.

So, to create your own “mini-planetarium” you will need:

paper,
sleeves from toilet paper rolls (one for each constellation),
scissors,
scotch,
flashlight (important! LED flashlights with many diodes are not suitable - the picture of your “constellations” will be duplicated. You need a flashlight with one bulb or diode).

To begin, cut a circle of paper to fit the hole in the sleeve.

On the resulting circle, draw a pattern of dots corresponding to some well-recognized constellation.

Then cut out another circle, larger in size than the first.

Fold them so that the smaller circle is inside the larger one, and pierce both in the places where you want the stars.

Then place both circles on the sleeve, with the larger circle facing out. Use scissors to make notches along the edges so you can easily bend it around the sleeve.

Secure the paper to the sleeve with tape.

Make as many constellation bushings in this manner as you see fit.

Turn off the light (or, if it's during the day, just go to the bathroom with your child), point the flashlight inside the sleeve and - voila! – the desired constellation will clearly appear on the wall or ceiling. You can be congratulated - you yourself have assembled your own planetarium. Good luck!

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Mobile planetarium staff

In the economical option, additional employees are not required to maintain the inflatable dome of the mobile planetarium and conduct sessions. An entrepreneur can easily install it in the right place, connect and configure the equipment, sell tickets to visitors and start showing the film. You should think about hiring an employee or business partner in the following situations:

such a person has previously worked in the education system and knows the heads of educational institutions, and therefore can simplify the process of negotiating with them;
the planetarium is located in a crowded place, as a result of which someone must prevent spectators from entering in the middle of the session and drive away potential pests from the dome;
The entrepreneur himself is far from the themes of the films and cannot explain to visitors what is happening on the screen in simple language.

Making a home planetarium with your own hands

You can make the simplest home planetarium yourself, but only if you have all the necessary components of the future device at hand.
So, let's make a home planetarium with our own hands! You will need:

Shoe box.
Paper.
Small flashlight.
Pencil.
Toothpick.
Constellation map (you can take a ready-made one or print it from the Internet).

How to make a home planetarium:

We take a map of the constellations and carefully redraw it on a blank sheet of paper. If we printed it, you can skip this step.
Take a toothpick and carefully pierce all the stars. This will take about 20–30 minutes.
Place the included flashlight inside the box.
We cover the box with the punched card obtained after completing step 2.
Turn off the lights and enjoy the beauty of space!

Unfortunately, this version of the starry sky will be highly inaccurate and not particularly colorful. If you want billions of stars to shine above your head at home and even comets to fly by, we recommend purchasing a home planetarium from optical equipment manufacturers.

Use of the material in its entirety for publicly accessible publication on media and any formats is prohibited. It is allowed to mention the article with an active link to the website www.4glaza.ru.

The manufacturer reserves the right to make any changes to the price, model range and technical specifications or to discontinue production of the product without prior notice.

Other articles about binoculars, monoculars and spotting scopes:

Mobile model of the solar system

You will need: foam balls with a diameter of 12.7; 10.2; 7.6; 6.4; 5.1; 3.8; 3.2 cm, (you will need 2 balls with a diameter of 3.8; 3.2 cm), a sheet of foam plastic 12.7 x 12.7 cm thick 1.3 cm (for the rings of Saturn), acrylic paints of orange, red, yellow, green, blue, light blue, turquoise, black and white, glue, 76 cm long wooden rod for attaching planets, transparent fishing line, bowl, teaspoon, scissors, stationery knife, brush, water, wooden sticks.

Master Class

Insert a stick into each ball until it reaches the middle.
Place the balls in this order - 12.7; 3.2; 3.8; 3.8; 3.2; 10.2; 7.6; 6.4; 5.1 cm.
Cut out the rings of Saturn this way: take a sheet of foam and trace the bowl with a pencil, then draw the inner ring and cut them out with a craft knife.
Smooth the edges of the rings with a teaspoon.
Paint the wooden rod with black paint.
Paint the planets and place them in a jar to dry completely.
Apply glue to the edge of Saturn and put on the ring.
Cut the threads for each planet of a different diameter and tie a knot at the end of each.
Remove the skewers from the planets and glue the knot into the skewer hole.
Tie the threads with the planets to the wooden base.

The moving model of the solar system is ready! I recommend viewing a photo gallery of DIY solar system ideas!

In order, all the planets can be named by any of us: One - Mercury, Two - Venus, Three - Earth, Four - Mars. Five is Jupiter, Six is Saturn, Seven is Uranus, followed by Neptune. He is the eighth in a row. And behind it, then, is the ninth planet called Pluto.

What is a home planetarium?

This device appeared relatively recently, but has already gained great popularity. Many who have heard about it are interested in what a home planetarium looks like and what it is. A starry sky projector is a compact device that, thanks to its projection onto a wall or ceiling, helps you admire the starry sky without leaving your home. The image is an identical copy of real constellations, which change over time.

On sale you can find a starry sky projector (home planetarium), produced in simple or more functional devices, suitable even for universities as an astronomy aid. There are models that reproduce different effects, for example, falling stars or the Northern Lights. A starry sky projector can be an original gift, even for those who know nothing about stars and planets.

How does a home planetarium work?

In order to accurately understand whether you need a starry sky projector or not, it is important to find out how to operate it and whether this will cause any problems. To get a beautiful image you need to do the following:

Before turning on, the home planetarium for children and other models are placed on a stable horizontal surface.
The selected image is placed in a special slot.
After connecting to the network, the device will begin to project the selected image through the lenses.
There is a button or lever on the panel, thanks to which the starry sky projector night light can rotate.
Among other things, you can fix a certain angle of inclination.
A special roller helps to focus the image clearly.

Home planetarium - characteristics

When choosing a particular device model, you need to know what points you need to pay attention to so that you will be happy with your purchase for a long time. A home children's planetarium includes the following technical characteristics:

number of stars in projection;
optimal distance;
tilt angle;
rotation and shooting star function;
timer;
power supply;
dimensions of the starry sky projector;
accuracy.

Mobile planetarium programs

Today it is not difficult to find films for a mobile planetarium. As a rule, manufacturers supply three or four rollers with the canopy and several dozen more for an additional fee. In addition, the site has over 300 more shows to suit every taste. Finally, a simple Google search shows many studios and advertisements on related topics. It is logical to assume that buying all the available programs requires a lot of money, and therefore the entrepreneur will have to work on compiling a good film library, taking into account cost restrictions. What can be done:

Films should be selected according to the needs of the audience. Schools will not allow entertainment programs to be shown, and viewers in shopping malls will not be interested in educational programs.
Content for schools can be designed according to the curriculum. If children are currently studying zoology, you can offer them films about dinosaurs.
The film library should contain films of different categories for different age groups. Kids need fairy-tale characters, teenagers need spectacular special effects.

As for the themes of films, the choice is huge. For example, children of preschool and primary school age can be offered programs in which some fairy-tale character explores the world around them. There are these options:

Life and habits of animals, their habitat. These can be ordinary pets, inhabitants of the deep sea and even dinosaurs.
Basics of astronomy. In a playful way, the films explain why the Sun and stars shine, why the phases of the Moon change, what the constellations and nearby planets look like.
Earth. The programs demonstrate the most amazing places on the planet, valleys of geysers and volcanoes, glaciers, mountain ranges, deserts and oceans.
Secrets of nature. There are films about the life of plants and insects, the reasons for the change of day and night, the water cycle, and the climate of different regions.

Middle school students will need more detailed information. Their horizons are much wider, so films can be specialized:

Basics of astronomy. This show is about the origin and structure of the Universe, the life cycle of stars, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and the emergence of the solar system.
Solar system. The programs talk about the planets, their features and sizes in comparison with the Earth, climatic conditions and the possibility of life on them.
Stars and myths. The films explain the history of the emergence of constellations and show the structure of the world from the point of view of different religions.
Biology. The shows demonstrate the theory of evolution, take viewers back to the times of dinosaurs and Neanderthals, and reveal the principles of operation of living organisms.

High school students, students and adult viewers believe that they know almost everything about the structure of the world. However, you can also surprise them with the following programs:

Astronomy. Visitors are taken on a journey to the center of the Galaxy and to distant corners of the Universe, showing black holes and exoplanets.
Story. These videos allow you to visit the fields of ancient battles, walk through long-vanished cities, and watch the construction of the pyramids and the Colosseum.
Planet Earth. Here we are talking about global climate change, the most terrible disasters such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions, and other wonders of nature.
Biology. These are films about the origin of life, incredible living organisms, dinosaurs, viruses and bacteria, the habitat of whales and penguins.

Why do you need a home planetarium?

Many people consider this device to be an ordinary toy for children. However, the owners claim that the starry sky projector helps to relax and unwind after a hard day, especially if you add relaxing music. Such a device will give the party originality, and the special effects will be remembered by everyone without exception. The children's planetarium will help kids spend many exciting hours exploring the night sky. Students and high school students can use the starry sky projector as a tool for studying astronomy.

How to choose a home planetarium?

A projector is an original gift with which you can watch the stars while at home. When choosing a “Starry Sky” laser projector or other planetarium models, you need to take into account the following criteria:

Purpose
. Children's devices are small in size and have minimal features that help demonstrate the scale of the universe. For advanced users, a starry sky projector with additional settings is suitable.
Ceiling height
. On average, the figure should be 2 m. For a clear image, high white ceilings are ideal.
Number of celestial objects
. A home starry sky projector has an indicator from 5 to 50 thousand stars.
Changing the angle
. With this feature, you can change the location depending on the date, time, and geographic location.
Rotation frequency
. A starry sky projector with a slow speed is suitable for relaxation, but you can choose another option.
Number of disks
. The stars can be complemented by projections of the Moon, Northern Lights, Milky Way and the like.
Remote controller
. This device will help you change pictures without leaving your resting place. If the child falls asleep, so as not to disturb him, you can turn off the starry sky projector using the remote control.
Price
. The higher this indicator, the more functions the device has, so it is important to determine whether all the add-ons will be used so as not to overpay.
Owner reviews
. Before buying a starry sky projector, it is useful to find out the opinions of other people who have already used it, because the seller’s words cannot always be trusted.

Pillow planets as interior details

In the case when you want to make a craft not for a school exhibition, but just for yourself, you should arm yourself with threads and needles. Soft and comfortable pillows will decorate your sofa and also serve as a cozy interior detail in your home.

For work we will need:

In fabric stores today you can find a wide range of colorful fabrics: from dark blue solids to star-filled expanses. Choose the fabric that you like.

We looked at only a small part of the ways to create homemade planetary systems. What are the advantages of these techniques? Making colorful models will help your child to be curious and think while working. Choose a method convenient for you and start making new planets!

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Home planetarium – rating

Among the wide variety, some models stand out that are in greatest demand on the market. We invite you to take a look at the rating:

Segatoys Homestar Classic
- a home planetarium that projects the largest number of stars.
Pro UNCLE Milton
– a star theater with a futuristic design.
Eastcolight
– the best home planetarium with a built-in radio.
Sititek AstroEye
– the starry sky projector is endowed with high detail with an optimal price-quality ratio.
Bondibon
– this equipment has the best price.

How to make a home planetarium?

Many people want to change the decor or add zest to the interior. Making a simple model of a planetarium at home consists of the following steps:

Take a jar with a wide mouth.
A sheet of thick aluminum foil is wrapped around it and the excess is cut off.
A star map is printed on a sheet of paper. Its width should correspond to the height of the jar.
Glue the card and foil together with tape.
The main points of the stars are pierced using needles of different sizes.
Separate the card from the foil.
The aluminum sheet is placed in a jar, the starry sky projector is almost ready.
Any LED device can be installed on the bottom.
Turn on the product in the dark and enjoy the created beauty.

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How to set up a planetarium at home

I don’t know about anyone, but I really love looking at the starry sky.
Why? Don't know. But I recently noticed that my children quietly sit down on a bench in the garden near me and also silently look at the sky. I don’t know about anyone, but I really love looking at the starry sky. Why? Don't know. But I recently noticed that my children quietly sit down on a bench in the garden near me and also silently look at the sky. I quietly asked them: why are they silent and looking at the sky? The daughter dreamily said that she was waiting for a shooting star to make her deepest wish. The son's answer was more pragmatic. He's just a fan of the Star Wars series and dreams of becoming a Jedi. What struck me most was my own husband. He said that the starry sky is not just romance, but a whole universe that unites not so much the whole world as family members. And I didn’t even think about it. Just enjoying the quiet evenings with my family and the stars in the night sky. But the worst thing is that the starry sky in our region can only be admired for a few days or weeks a year. And I really want to be able to afford it at the slightest desire. And how to do it?

Decoration of a mini planetarium.

Maria Chuvarova

Decoration of a mini planetarium.

“Humanity will not remain on earth forever, but,

in pursuit of light and space,

at first it will timidly penetrate beyond the atmosphere,

and then will conquer the entire circumsolar space.”

The topic of human space flight is a source of pride for our country. The flight into space of Yu. Gagarin, the achievements of V. Tereshkova and many other cosmonauts are of great importance in the moral and patriotic education of children.

Modern children have little interest in the topic of space; nowadays, launching rockets into space has become common; boys no longer dream of being astronauts. The mini planetarium designed by the creative team in our Olympic preschool development center will help to form children’s initial ideas about space, the solar system, and astronauts, and instill a sense of pride in our compatriots who have made an undeniable contribution to the history of space exploration. The system of work in the mini planetarium assumes a person-oriented approach to the development of each child. This system of work is aimed at developing children’s horizons, developing their cognitive activity, nurturing patriotic feelings (pride in Russian cosmonauts - space pioneers, moral values (good, friendly relations, etc.)

.
Olympic
preschool development center also created a series of cognitive development classes on the topic
“Space”
, a card index of didactic games, and a card index of experiments.