Working Orrery

Everyone loves space. Whether its a beautiful sunrise, a brilliant starry night or even the immeasurable vastness of it all, everyone loves space! Bring space into your home with this kinetic model where the moon revolves around the earth, and the earth around the sun!

So don't forget to SUPPORT to make this dream come true!

This is my final, updated version of my Orrery Project. Check the updates to see what I've changed!

To see how this model works, check out this video:

Check out the 3D digital model of the final version here:

This build consists of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon, built on a vintage/antique style base. The Moon revolves around the Earth while the earth revolves around the Sun. The mechanics are hidden nicely inside the base. I have put a lot of effort into making the model as sturdy as I can, and the motion as smooth as possible. The model was built to look as nice as possible, with a detailed, brick-built version of the Earth.

The system is turned by a crank at the front, with minimal gears, that help it to turn smoothly. This does mean that the rotations aren't accurate, but I think it's more than worth it for the looks. It would require a lot of bulky mechanics to make it accurate!

Dimensions of the build: 33x18.8x28.5 (LxBxHcm)

This model has 1388 LEGO Bricks, in 16 colours. I built the model digitally to check!

As I've said already aim with this model was not to make a 100% accurate scientific model of an orrery, but rather to make something that looked great on display, while still being functional. I also wanted to make the design compact so as to keep it affordable. Another important aspect of this project was the varied build experience - a combination of Technic and System bricks to create an interesting and fun build.

I believe this model has all the features of a good LEGO Ideas set:

This model would also have a very wide appeal - from space and astronomy fans to technic fans, as well as people who like collecting models for display. It would even appeal to an audience outside the LEGO community as it makes such a unique and impressive display model, helping draw new fans in.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and check my project out! :)