Re: What kind of objects should I use for a Galaxy Model?

There is no easy answer to this question. You first have to plan out what aspects of the galaxy that you plan to display. You also have to decide which galaxy you are going to model.

I have found that styrofoam balls (available at fabric stores and craft stores) are easy to work with and can be used to represent planets, stars, meteors, etc. in a 3-D model of a galaxy. By attaching different colours of yarn or construction paper you can turn them into different coloured planets and stars.

Another choice would be to make a two dimensional model on a piece of cardboard. This way you can either paint features on it, or you can use bits and pieces of things that you may find around your neighborhood to represent different features. Using a glue gun to attach them to the cardboard, you can use rocks or different kinds of pasta to represent asteroid belts. Cut a ping-pong ball or styrofoam ball in half and it can be used to represent planets, moons, stars, etc. Stick some white pipecleaners (or another colour) into a small styrofoam ball and you have a comet. Cut it in half and glue coloured yarn trailing behind it onto your cardboard and you can extend the tail of the comet as much as you like.

If you are trying to simply represent a spiral galaxy, use the side of a cardboard box painted black and poke holes in it to represent the stars and place a lamp inside (be careful not to let the lightbulb get too close to the cardboard or you will have a fire hazard). If the holes are big enough and the area around is dark enough, it will look very much like light shining from the stars in a galaxy.

A final way (and an extremely time-consuming and more difficult one) is to get a glass box (or a large jar) and make a sand picture using dark coloured sand to represent the background sky, and light coloured sand to represent the stars in the galaxy. Just be careful to pour the sand in a little bit at a time.

I hope these ideas help.