True scale model Solar-System. Moons & all planets

Perhaps the most accurate Solar System set available, containing all of the planets, plus Pluto and the ten largest moons, all to scale, with surfaces mapped with NASA imaging.

This set is created using 3D-printing, which allows precise scale and surface mapping, but is unfortunately expensive, and the parts ship directly from the 3D-printer without instructions. For instructions, details on the display stand, planetary rings and other options, visit www.celestial.rocks

(Too expensive? Blame Jupiter! But there are some cheaper solar-system models here that use a compressed scale so Jupiter isn't as large.)

Duplicate planets and moons are included of all components in this set except the gas giants. This allows you to mess up with fewer consequences when cutting smaller moons from their labelled rack (and also gives some leeway for printing issues - this set pushes the 3D-printer to its limits, so the smallest moons can sometimes have imperfections or damage). Any remaining parts left over could also be used to stand in for additional moons, trans-Neptunian objects, and dwarf planets.

Dimensions:
Jupiter is 90mm (3.5 inches) in diameter
Earth is 8mm (1/3")
The Moon is 2mm (3/32")

Scale: 1 : 1588000000

I have made the Rings of Saturn available as a PDF document here correctly sized and ready to be printed (as well the rings of Uranus and Neptune). The document contains a version of the rings for printing on regular paper, and an alternative version for printing onto transparancy, where the density of the rings determine the visibility/opacity of the ring on the transparancy.

This set will arrive as the components seen above, with no instructions. It requires the following assembly:
- Gluing the hemispheres of the gas-giants together. You can see tabs along the inside edge that can be glued to make it easier to keep glue away from the visible outer surfaces. (I actually didn't glue them together, I glued magnets into each hemisphere so that they stick together magnetically but I can take them apart easily to remove or replace the rings.)
- Cutting the smaller planets and moons off their labelled printing racks.
- Creating rings for Saturn, if they are desired.
- If wishing to axially mount planets, the gas giants have their poles marked on the inside. Be gentle while drilling - don't put too much force on the shell.

 

Replacement Parts

Because this is an expensive set, in case any part of your solar system model becomes lost or damaged there are some replacement-parts sets so that you don't have to buy the entire set again to get a part. The following parts subsets are available:

• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus and Neptune
• Earth and the rocky worlds/moons

Special thanks to NASA / JPL-Caltech, for allowing the use of their planet surface terrain and mapping.