Orbit & Spin – Educational Solar System

Orbit & Spin – Educational Solar System

Bring the Solar System to life.

This interactive planetary system is designed as an educational kinetic toy that demonstrates orbital motion in a playful and intuitive way. Each planet travels along its own labeled orbital track, with the planet names integrated directly into the orbits for easy learning and orientation.

The magic is in the motion:
by gently tilting and rotating the model, the planets begin to move along their paths. At the same time, they rotate around their own axis, allowing you to observe not only revolution around the Sun, but also planetary spin — all without motors or electronics.

The entire system stands on a spiral pedestal, symbolizing the fact that even our Solar System is not static: it rotates, drifts, and travels through space as part of a much larger cosmic motion.

This model is designed for curiosity and exploration rather than strict scientific scale — planet sizes and distances are intentionally not to scale, allowing for smooth motion, visual clarity, and an engaging hands-on experience.

As a bonus, optional moons can be added to further expand the system.

Perfect as:

• an educational desk toy
• a conversation-starting display piece
• a learning aid for kids and adults alike
• a visually striking and interactive 3D print

Printing & Assembly Instructions

Printing

The model is designed to be easy to print and requires no supports.

Two print profiles are included:

• AMS profile
  Optimized for multi-color printing. The Sun and planets are printed without any manual intervention.
• Non-AMS profile
  Includes a pause for manual filament change during the Sun print, allowing clean color separation even without AMS.

No special hardware is required.

Assembly

Assembly is simple and completely tool-free.

1. Friction pads
   On the underside of the model, snap the friction pads into place and rotate them so they fit flush with the bottom.
   This allows you to fine-tune the resistance so the orbital motion is smooth and controlled rather than too fast.

   Visual instructions for the friction pads are included in the gallery.

2. Planets
   Snap each planet onto its adapter and gently press the adapter into the corresponding orbital track.

   Depending on your printer, filament, and tolerances, a small drop of glue may be helpful to ensure the planet stays securely attached to the adapter.

3. Stand (optional)
   Finally, the planetary system can be mounted onto the spiral stand.

Optional Enhancement

For an even stronger visual effect, the model can be combined with the “Lazy Susan Turntable 100mm” by robotcrazy.
When placed on a rotating turntable, the spiral stand motion becomes more pronounced, reinforcing the idea that the entire Solar System is rotating and drifting through space.

Notes

• Planet sizes and distances are not to scale by design
• Motion is driven purely by gravity and geometry
• Small adjustments to friction dramatically change the behavior — experiment to find your preferred feel

Tilt it, rotate it, and watch the Solar System come alive.

Credits

This model was inspired by a planetary system concept created by mireplica3d.