Smithsonian 3-D LED Solar System: Science Kit, Instruction Guide, Astronomy Education for 3rd Grade
$29.99
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2.8 out of 5 stars with 16 reviews
broad age appeal: 3.25 out of 5
ease of use: 3 out of 5
length of play: 2.5 out of 5
quality: 2.33 out of 5
value: 2.33 out of 5
30% would recommend
10 recommendations
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
10 January, 2026
Cheap, not worth the money
So cheaply made, my son had the planets all dented in the first 2 seconds and he wasn’t even handling it roughly. Poor design. Read the other one star reviews - they’re all accurate.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 7 days ago
We’re sorry to hear about your experience, Sarah — that’s definitely disappointing. The planets are designed to be lightweight for safe display, but they shouldn’t dent immediately with normal handling. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. If you’d like help or have questions, please reach out to our customer service team at custserv@nsi-int.com , put “Target Review Follow Up” in the subject line, and include the name you used when posting this review. We’re happy to help.
5 out of 5 stars
4 January, 2026
originally posted on https://www.CollectionsEtc.com
I would buy again!
My grandson loved it!
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
2 January, 2026Verified purchase
Very disappointing
Planets are cheaply made half spheres, that do not hang like I expected, but instead stick to surfaces. The adhesive doesn't stick well. They all fell down off the wall within an hour of hanging them up. They only stay lit for 8 minutes, so not enough time for anything. They are also all connected together, out of order, with an unsightly cord, because the sole battery source is the sun.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 14 days ago
We’re sorry to hear the Smithsonian 3-D LED Solar System didn’t meet your expectations, Indyjack. The planets are designed as lightweight half spheres so they can be mounted easily and powered safely from a single central light source. The adhesive can perform differently depending on wall surface and texture, which can affect how well the pieces stay in place. The light also turns off automatically after several minutes to help preserve battery life. We understand how frustrating this can be, and we appreciate you sharing your feedback. If you have questions or would like help, please reach out to our customer service team at custserv@nsi-int.com , put “Target Review Follow Up” in the subject line, and include the name you used when posting this review. We’re happy to help.
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
29 December, 2025Verified purchase
(no review title)
The battery compartment was difficult to open even with the screw driver, other than that it’s great!
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 5 days ago
Thank you for sharing your feedback, Torrie! We’re glad to hear you’re enjoying the Smithsonian 3-D LED Solar System. We appreciate you noting the battery compartment — feedback like that is helpful and always shared with our team. Thanks again for taking the time to leave a review!
3 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
24 December, 2025
Planets are strung out of order
We got this as a gift. The planets are pre strung and out of order which is kind of a huge deal (Mercury is last on the string right after Saturn). There is no way to re-order the planets. They do look really cool but I don’t understand why there’s 2 strings of planets coming off of the Sun but they are totally out of order. It’s really annoying
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 21 days ago
Thank you for sharing your feedback — we understand why this would be frustrating, especially for a science-focused gift. Creating a model or toy that accurately represents the real solar system is surprisingly challenging, because the sizes and distances of the planets relative to the Sun are so extreme. For example, if the Sun in a model were 9 feet in diameter, the Earth would be about 1 inch wide. You’re absolutely correct that the planets in this set are not arranged in a strict linear orbital order. That’s because the planets don’t actually appear in a fixed “right order” from Earth — or from anywhere in space — due to their different orbital paths and distances from the Sun. What looks like an ordering issue is really an effect of perspective rather than an incorrect alignment. The planets in this set are arranged on multiple strands to create a fun, visually engaging display while still encouraging curiosity about astronomy. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts, and we’ll be sure to pass your feedback along to our team. If you have any additional questions, our customer service team is always happy to help at custserv@nsi-int.com .
3 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
13 December, 2025Verified purchase
Eh
It isn’t worth the price, but it’s okay. The planets are low quality and easily get squished and they are laid out weirdly on the string. I wouldn’t pay more than 10 for these.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 1 month ago
Thank you for sharing your feedback about the Smithsonian 3-D LED Solar System. We’re sorry to hear that the product didn’t meet your expectations. The kit is designed to provide an engaging and educational experience for young learners, but we understand that everyone’s expectations and preferences can differ. If you have any further concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at custserv@nsi-int.com. We’re always here to help and ensure you have the best experience with our products.
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
11 December, 2025
Great Little STEM Moment
Used this with my niece and she immediately started asking why it works. Instant science lesson! It’s sturdy, easy to set up, and makes learning feel more like play.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 5 days ago
Thank you so much for sharing this! We love hearing that it sparked curiosity and questions right away — that’s exactly what we hope for. We’re glad you and your niece enjoyed the experience and appreciate you taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
20 November, 2025
Super Cool "Night Light" of the Solar System
The lighting effect is amazing! There were some complaints about the planets not being "in order" but how could they be if you are on earth anyway? When you look up at the sky, the planets are never in a row. You can arrange them in a nice pattern. They stick to your wall or ceiling. The remote works in the whole room. It's cool that you can make them brighter of dimmer. My 8 year old sleeps with this every night. It shuts itself off after like 10 minutes or so to save batteries. Great product.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 1 month ago
Thank you for your review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed the 3-D LED Solar System.
1 out of 5 stars
6 November, 2025
(no review title)
I never write reviews but this product is truly terrible. The sticky isn’t sticky enough for the wall. The cord connection is terrible, the plants are cheaply made. 10/10 don’t recommend.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 2 months ago
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re sorry the included wall stickers didn’t hold as expected — we know how disappointing that can be. Sometimes their effectiveness can vary depending on the wall’s finish or texture. Some families have found lightweight adhesive putty or reusable mounting strips helpful for better support. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
11 October, 2025
Terrible
Cool in theory, terrible execution. The planets are all wired and aren’t in order of placement from the sun so it’s inaccurate. All of the planets have to be super close to the sun since it’s wired together. The stickers on the back of the planets don’t stick well to the wall and fell off while my child was sleeping. Also, when the batteries run out, you have to remove the planets from the wall to replace the batteries.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 3 months ago
Creating a model / toy that accurately represents the real solar system is a near impossible task. The size of the planets and sun relative to each other is SO different that if the sun included in the set was 9 FEET in diameter, the earth would be 1 INCH in diameter! To address your point about the order of the planets, you are 100% correct in that the planets and sun in our set are not in the linear orbital order. The reason for that is because the planets don't appear in the "right order" from our perspective on Earth, or from anywhere in space, because of the different orbital paths and distances each planet is from the Sun. Essentially, it's an illusion created by whatever the viewpoint, not an actual misalignment of the planets themselves. The planets in this set have been arranged and ordered to make the set fun and visually appealing in your room. We’re sorry the wall stickers didn’t hold as well as expected — sometimes their effectiveness can vary depending on the wall’s finish or texture. Some families have found that lightweight adhesive putty or reusable mounting strips provide a more secure hold.
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
4 September, 2025Verified purchase
Not worth the price
The concept is cool, but they are planets cut in half. The back of them are flat. Also they feel so incredibly cheap. The cheapest plastic. These are definitely not worth $40. These belong at 5 below
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 5 months ago
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the Smithsonian 3-D LED Solar System. We’re sorry to hear the product didn’t meet your expectations. The design, including the flat backs of the planets, is intentional to allow for easy wall mounting or display, and the materials were chosen to keep the product lightweight and safe for a variety of uses. We believe the product offers a unique and educational experience that reflects its value, but we understand that everyone’s expectations are different. Your feedback is important to us, and we’ll continue to use it to improve our offerings.
1 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
30 August, 2025Verified purchase
Planets cannot be arranged in order.
You can’t tell from the packed box photo, but there are three planets cabled directly to the sun: Jupiter, Earth, and Neptune. Their cables are the same length. Earth is connected to possibly Mercury and Mars on separate cables, nothing is connected to Jupiter, and from Neptune there is one cable with Uranus, Saturn, and Venus (in that order). There is no way to arrange the cables to get the planets in order. I tried to at a minimum rearrange the same size planet light covers (they are a thin/cheap plastic cup) to get som semblance of order but have been unsuccessful. A really big bummer of a purchase. If you don’t care about the solar system order it is probably okayish (3/5 stars) but I can’t say for certain because I don’t know how well the adhesive works, etc. because I am not putting this up.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 5 months ago
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns about our solar system model. We truly value your feedback and understand how important accuracy is when it comes to representing something as fascinating as our solar system. Creating a model that captures the vast differences in size and scale of the planets and the sun is indeed a unique challenge. For instance, if the sun in the set were 9 feet in diameter, the Earth would only be about 1 inch wide! While we strive to balance accuracy with practicality, we also aim to create a set that is both educational and visually engaging. You’re absolutely right that the planets and sun in our set are not arranged in their exact orbital order. This was a deliberate choice to ensure the set is visually appealing and fits well in your space. The actual arrangement of planets can appear different depending on the perspective—whether from Earth or elsewhere in space—due to their unique orbital paths and distances from the sun. We wanted to create a model that sparks curiosity and looks great in any room while still being a fun representation of our solar system. We truly appreciate your feedback and are always looking for ways to improve our products. Your input helps us continue to create models that inspire and educate. If you have any further suggestions or questions, we’d love to hear from you!
3 out of 5 stars
6 August, 2025Verified purchase
Cool but doesn't stay stuck
Pretty cool for a space loving kid, but the “stickers” meant to keep it on a wall or even ceiling did not do a great job - kept falling. Eventually had to come up with a new way to keep it up.
1 reply from NSI Product Support Team team - 3 months ago
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad to hear your space‑loving child enjoyed the Smithsonian 3‑D LED Solar System. We’re sorry the included wall stickers didn’t hold as expected — we know how disappointing that can be. Sometimes their effectiveness can vary depending on the wall’s finish or texture. Some families have found lightweight adhesive putty or reusable mounting strips helpful for better support. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!