Today we went over to my parents’ house and made planets.

First, we calculated relative sizes of planets, assuming Jupiter was 36″ in diameter. For reference, Pluto was about 0.2″ (sadly, too small to draw in the heart or any other newly-discovered features) and Earth was 3″. In that size system, the sun would be 360″ in diameter, so we skipped the sun.

Then, we searched all over the house to find round things the correct diameter that we could trace.

After that, we traced planets onto their correct color of construction paper and cut out the planets. Shown are Saturn (missing its rings, and an amazing checkerboard, due to lack of construction paper) with Earth sitting on it. In the foreground are Venus, Uranus, and Neptune. I’m not sure where Mars and Pluto went.

Finally, we painted the planets approximately appropriate colors.

We are still figuring out how to put these up in Benji’s room, but when they’re up we’ll have an amazing solar system.

Edit to add: We put them on the ceiling individually, using zillions of push pins. Can you see tiny Pluto, up by Neptune?

The McCurleys came over and joined us, with Colin (being a big boy) making his own set of planets.

We also had fun with other things at Nana’s house.