Papier-Mâché Planets and Moons

Make Your Own Planets and Moons!

Io

Io is a volcanic moon of Jupiter. It has brilliant oranges and yellows on its surface.

Ocean World Layers

Ocean Worlds in the outer Solar System are icy. Here you can see the layers of ice, liquid water, a mantle, and a core.

Icy World

Certainly less spherical than those made with styrofoam spheres, but no less beautiful. This glittery blue icy world captures the irregularities of some of the smaller objects in the Solar System.

The Enceladus

Enceladus is a very small moon of Saturn. It has a characteristic "tiger striped" area on the south polar region, which spews seawater geysers into space.

The Moon

Earth's Moon lacks some of the more brilliant colors that other planets and moons have, but its beauty lies in its constance and luminosity. What a gorgeous sight.

How To Make Papier-mÂché planets and moons

REUSE & RECYCLE

I found it easiest to make these planets and moons by adding a layer of papier-mâché to styrofoam balls that I purchased from a local craft store. This also ensured they were lightweight so they could be hung easily. I have also made larger moons using other recycled materials, but they were not as spherical as the ones I used the styrofoam base with.

SUPPLIES:

styrofoam spheres

scraps of paper

paste (mix of flour and water)

acrylic paint

paint brushes

glitter

PROCEDURE:

Dip each scrap of paper in the paste you made with flour and water. This should be the consistency of store-bought paste or glue. Place the scraps all over the styrofoam sphere, making sure to cover all the styrofoam with paper. Use the wet paper to visualize topography on your moon if desired. You can make craters, valleys and fissures, or mountain ranges. Let dry completely. Once dry, paint your planet or moon and add glitter while paint is still wet to ensure adhesion.