Build a solar system magazine

[hobsey]

Sorry if this has been posted before but I've just seen an advert for this, not cheap in the end though.

http://www.build-solar-system.com

[brantuk]

I built one of these on the original subscription. It's a nice piece but as you say - it works out over £300 all together. This new subscription appears to include a few extra things (like the scope & planisphere) that weren't available before.

The moons are mostly decorative for the planets - only Earth's moon is driven and only Earth spins. All the planets otherwise just go round the sun. The brass parts are nicely made and professional looking, and most stuff fits together easily with no modification. There was an odd glitch in the timing or sequence of the parts over the one year it takes to build. But they mostly dealt with any problems just by sending a replacement pack and not asking for the old/wrong one back.

For a total beginner in the early stages of astronomy who likes making stuff - it's well worth it with all the magazine information and tool kit that it comes with. But for a seasoned astronomer who just wants the orrery then maybe the £300 is better spent elsewhere on a more substantial piece. Or pick up this one on the used market for half the price.

Edited August 18, 2015 by brantuk

[Stub Mandrel]

I'm usually sceptical of these things, but the Orrery looks quite impressive, to be honest.

[mcolbert]

does this look familiar?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Beautiful-Planetarium-Brass-Orrery-Solar-System-Model-Tellurian-/170796753155?hash=item27c447a103

[brantuk]

@stub: Yes it is impressive once all put together and running - it's just the constant dusting that cheeses me off lol

@mcolbert - yup that's the identical one - dunno what that price is in UK sterling but gotta be somewhere near £300.

[JamesF]

Have to admit that whilst it looks pretty enough and I'd love to own a nice orrery, it's not £300 worth for me.

I may well end up designing and building my own I think.

James

[MAN or ASTROMAN]

I've just seen the ad on T.V.- My first thought was-it would be cheaper to buy the real thing (THE Solar System),2nd thought was,great-if you've got NASA's budget to spare!  You can probably gather that I'm not a fan of these build a part mags.

[triton1]

Just seen advert on the above looks like it's driven by some sort of clockwork mechanism and a battery?99p for the first issue but I can imagine it will cost about £350 in all to build.Didn,t they make these a decade or more ago?.

[triton1]

And for £1 per issue more you will get a telescope.A small Tak Prehaps?

[xtreemchaos]

seen it mate,carnt see it being brass prob some kind plastic or alloy with brass coloured coating,what will thay do next?.clear skys. charl.

[JB80]

Yeah I saw this last night too and thought the last lot they did were hard to get hold of so I want in on this.

Just trying to look now for delivery to Spain.

http://www.build-solar-system.com/solar-system.php

Edit:

Looks like they don't do mainland Europe, shame that. I may have a solution though.

Edited August 19, 2015 by JB80

[xtreemchaos]

just looked at the link"thanks JB80" and it dos say solid brass,it looks more impressive on the website. charl.

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I bought one of these in kit form on ebay a couple of years ago, for a good deal less than paying each week.  Mine came with all mags, binders, all pieces in their original sealed packets, so all I had to do was assemble it.  It was fun putting it together, but I wouldn't have wanted to wait 2 weeks for each set of parts.  All the parts are brass (except the planets) and the finished item is nice to look at and gives you a good idea of where the planets are, nice for planning what is coming up as the planet imaging season begins.

My Mrs thought it was nice too, but then decided it would be better in the summerhouse where the rest of my astro kit is kept, perhaps she didn't like it after all?

If you look on ebay, I am sure you will see a few for sale.

Robin

[Stub Mandrel]

There's another thread on this (which looks better than many such things) and it includes a link to the manufacturers although the price is similar without the magazines!

[brantuk]

The original one that I purchased was real brass - can't see this one being plastic or they'd soon loose customers.

But small Tak? No way lol - more like a low quality achro.

[JamesF]

There's another thread on this here: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/250644-build-a-solar-system-magazine/

James

[brantuk]

Hope you don't mind James - I've reported your post and suggested the mods do a merge. Thought I was answering the same thread every time I post lol.

[JamesF]

Hope you don't mind James - I've reported your post and suggested the mods do a merge. Thought I was answering the same thread every time I post lol.

Fine by me.  Looks like it's happened already.

James

[philj]

Thats good to see that Eagle Moss are doing that again. I have one, out on lian at the moment and they are very good. All brass construction with vari speed electric motor. £300 for a solid brass orrery is pretty good imho, just do a search to see what prices antique ones sell for :-)

[triton1]

Du hast mich

[philj]

Du hast mich

;-)

[Stub Mandrel]

...and not an umlaut in sight!

[Knight of Clear Skies]

The "Build the Milky Way" magazine is the really expensive one.

[barkis]

I'd rather buy a good eyepiece or something.

It looks nice, but I would be angry if all the parts were not delivered.

Some how I see problems in that area.

A lot worse than finding the last piece of a 2k Jig Saw puzzle  missing.

Seems a bit expensive being tied to buying a Magazine in order to get one.

[BritAngler]

£7 an issue isn't going to break the bank (I spend three times that much per month on car mags (  <---- Petrolhead)), and at the end of it you will have a very nice orrerrary....ery.

Would I buy it if I didn't already have it? In a shot

(I wonder if they've updated the paintwork on Pluto....)