Solar System Lithophane Christmas Baubles

Attention

This project is still a work in progress. While I have printed and tested all the files, there may still be issues, particularly with tolerances or documentation. If you notice anything amiss, please let me know so I can address it.

Introduction

After more than two years of designing and prototyping, I am very happy to finally present you the Solar System Lithophane Christmas Bauble Collection, the smaller version of the Solar System Lithophane Planet Lamp Collection. This collection is much more than a simple, scaled down version of the larger lamps, though. All models in the collection are completely new creations with all new illumination options and wall widths matching the smaller size of the lamps.

 Inspired by the original Moon Lamp by moononournation (popularized on Printables by Frank Deschner), I decided that I want to create Lamps for other celestial bodies, too. All of the models below are original creations, based on NASA image data I made into Lithophane lamps with original python software. 

Requirements

The regular lamp size is ~ 75mm x 75mm x 70mm. There is also a “large” version in ~ 100mm x 100mm x 95mm available (so far only for the sun). They should print fine on all FDM printers and on most SLA printers. You will need around 30g-40g of Filament (preferably PLA or PLA+) for the regular sized lamp.

The lamps are mounted to their base with a M28x2 metric thread. The idea for the thread is from the Lithophane Moon Lamp with wide Screw Base by The Quicksilver. I am providing multiple different illumination options that all use the same thread. Choose the lamp of your liking and match it with any illumination of your liking. All compatible lamp bases are listed below. You may either need a standard E14 socket with a small LED, a Keystone socket, USB LED stick and a USB cable, an Ikea Solvinden fairy light or a magnetic button cell PCB with LEDs.

Print Settings

There are only a few settings you should tweak in the slicer to print the lamps. 

• Print in PLA or PLA+
• Recommended layer height: 0.10mm
• Use the Arachne Perimeter Generator for more precise printing with better details
• If you use Arachne, set the minimum line width to 75% to avoid holes!
• Set wall count to 4-5 to obtain a solid lamp
• Set seam position to aligned or random
• No Support required! The lamps print perfectly fine without support. All lamp bases come with in-built snap off supports (where required).

Be aware, that slicing and printing may take a very long time. The STL files can take up to 10 min. to slice. Also be aware, that both the lamps and the illumination options feature fine and intricate details and nasty bridging. Some printer tuning may be required for those prints.

Filament, resin and light source

Filament matters. A lot! Depending on the Pigments in your filament, your lamp may have more or less contrast or a warmer or cooler color temperature. Additionally, you can choose colored filament to create Planet Lamps with specific colors or print the lamps with resin printers. The picture below illustrates this:

The left lamp is printed with a resin printer, the right with a FDM printer. While they use the same illumination (Button cell PCB), the results are very different. I tried several different types of filament. My favourite is Filament PM White PLA + (not the Lithophane version). All models in the pictures (except for the SLA version, of course) were printed with this filament. It creates a lot of contrast and a very warm light. 

Your light source also matters! While you can use 1W bulbs with the E14 Socket, other illumination solutions such as the fairy lights have a way lower wattage. Filament PM PLA+ for example is a good option for 1W bulbs but a very poor option for the fairy lights. Test your filament with the light source you intend to use!

I recommend printing a Lithophane Calibration Tower to test how your filament will look as a Lithophane. For reference: all Planet Lamps have a minimum wall thickness of 0.6mm and a maximum wall thickness of 2.8mm. I usually print the Lithophane Calibration Tower by American Filament. Print this tower with the same settings you'd use for your planet lamp. Then use the same light source you would use for your lamp and shine through the tower. Optimally, the tower should be very bright at 0.6mm width and almost no light should pass through at 2.8mm width. This would yield the best contrast. 

Planet Lamps

The list below contains all (Dwarf)Planets of the solar system and the sun, turned into lithophane lamps. All of the lamps below are original creations. There are two differently sized versions for the sun, six different options for earth and two different versions for Venus available. For earth, there is a daytime satellite lamp available, a political world map lamp and a lamp only containing bathymetry (sea level) data and larger waterbodies, the Fishworld. Each of those three different versions are available with the north pole facing up and the south pole facing up. If you are from the southern hemisphere or if you want to hang your lamp upside down, you may prefer the south pole facing up version. The pictures below only show the north pole facing up versions. For Venus, there is one version available showing the atmosphere of the planet (as seen through a telescope) and one version showing the surface structure of Venus (obtained by atmosphere penetrating scans).

The Sun
Mercury
Venus Atmosphere
Venus Surface
Earth Satellite (North Pole up) and Earth Satellite (South Pole up)
Earth Fishworld (North Pole up) and Earth Fishworld (South Pole up)
Earth Political (North Pole up) and Earth Political (South Pole up)
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto

Moon Lamps

Unfortunately, there are not as many high quality images of the Solar System's Moons available as there are for its Planets. So far I can only provide Lamps for the Earth's Moon and Jupiter's moon Io. The Moon and Io are both original creations. The lamp of the moon is based on highly edited image data and thus looks quite different from the already existing moon lamps out there. I focussed on highlighting edges and increasing contrasts. The result is a moon lamp, where the dark side of the moon is not boring anymore. All the small craters on the surface really stand out now.

The Moon
Io

Illumination Options

Printing the Planet or Moon of your choice is only a part of creating your own bauble. You'll also need an illumination for your Planet or Moon. I am providing several different options, all with a matching M28x2 thread. All of the models below will work for all of the Planets and Moons. Depending on which illumination option you choose, you will need different hardware for assembly. You will find a detailed BOM and assembly instructions below.

All prints for the illumination options require a well tuned printer, perfect bridging and an excellent first layer, otherwise supports may fail or tolerances may be off. While the tolerances work for me and my printers, they may not work for you. Please let me know if you have issues. I can provide parts with different tolerances if required.

Links to shops are only suggestions on where you can find parts. I am not connected to any of the linked vendors and don't endorse them. Links are also supposed to show you how the required parts are called and look like. 

Generic Fairy Light Socket
Compatible with almost all fairy lights out there. Easy snap-fit assembly, perfect for fairy lights. Maximum supported lamp diameter: 12.8mm Pros and Cons: + Easy to assemble and easy to use                                                                               - Medium to low light output, depending on your fairy lights                                         + Compatible with almost all off-the-shelf fairy lights - Disassembly may not be possible without breaking the lid                                   + No wiring required   BOM: 1x Generic fairy light with a maximum lamp diameter of 12.8mm Printed Parts: The generic sockets already include snap-off supports that worked very well for me. Try these first. If the built-in supports do not work for you, I also included files without supports (*_no_support). 1x 01_mobile_generic_socket 1x 01_mobile_generic_socket_lid Assembly: Insert the LED through the hole in the socket Guide one cable through the left channel, one through the right channel Clip on the lid (watch out for the cable channels) Screw the socket into the bulb of your choice
E14 Socket
The easiest, most straightforward illumination option. The threads on E14 sockets matches the lamps threads. Pros and Cons: + Versatile, use any bulb of your choice, colored bulbs work as well - Socket protrudes from the lamp                                                                + High light output - Wiring mains voltage required if you want to connect multiple lamps BOM: 1x E14 socket with threads and strain relief 1x small 1W E14 bulb (usually sold as fridge LED), max. diameter ~26mm, max. length 50-60mm - available for example on Amazon, colored bulbs work as well Printed Parts: No print required Assembly: Simply screw the socket into the lamp. The thread tolerances are tight, so screw it in carefully. You may want to check out my Wago T- and L-connectors to create a custom fairy light.
Magnetic Switch Button Cell
This option uses a small button cell PCB that switches on and off magnetically. Since there is no wiring required and the light can be switched on and off contactless, this is the perfect option for Christmas baubles. Pros and Cons: + Contactless switching, no wires - Batteries need to be replaced regularly    + Perfect solution for Christmas baubles - Medium light output + Support for colored LED PCBs                                                   - Depends heavily on your printer's bridging capabilities and tolerances BOM: 1x Magnetic Switch Button Cell, currently only PCBs with a diameter of ~18mm and 20mm are supported - PCB 1 (D18), PCB 2 (D20) and PCB 3 (D20) are tested to work. Printed Parts: The battery sockets already include snap-off supports that worked very well for me. Try these first. If the built-in supports do not work for you, I also included files without supports (*_no_support). Additionally, there is a version with a flat base available (*_FLAT) so you can place the lamp somewhere, for example as a nightlight.  1x 02_mobile_battery_socket_DXX (where XX matches the diameter of your PCB) or  1x 02_mobile_battery_socket_DXX_FLAT (where XX matches the diameter of your PCB) 1x 02_mobile_battery_socket_drawer_DXX (where XX matches the diameter of your PCB) Assembly: If you encounter failing bridges, clean the socket until the drawer fits in easily Place the PCB inside the drawer Insert the drawer into the socket with the LED visible on the thread-side Screw the socket into your lamp. This also fixes the drawer in place
Ikea Solvinden
This option is modeled to be compatible with Ikea Solvinden fairy lights. The locking mechanism is identical with the Ikea one. Keep in mind, that the light output of those small LEDs is very low. Choose a very transluscent filament with this illumination option! Pros and Cons: + Convenient solution for long fairy lights                                                                - Depends heavily on your printers tolerances, x-y compensation may be required + Battery powered - Visible wiring + Simple assembly via a locking mechanism - Very dim light, translucent filament required BOM: 1x Ikea Solvinden fairy light Printed Parts: The Ikea solvinden sockets already include snap-off supports that worked very well for me. Try these first. If the built-in supports do not work for you, I also included files without supports. 1x 03_mobile_solvinden_socket Assembly: This socket is a 1:1 copy of the Ikea locking mechanism. Screw the socket into your lamp, insert the LED and turn it to lock it in place.
Keystone USB
The final option allows you to power your light via USB. This may be a very good option for night lights. You can also modify the base to incorporate the lamps in other designs.  While the USB light seems like a bad option because it only features LEDs on one side, it works absolutely fine. Surprisingly, the illumination is very homogeneous, probably because the filament is reflective and diffuses the light inside the lamp. Pros and Cons: + Simple power supply via USB - Very little space available for the keystone module, tolerances are tight + Off the shelf components                                                                                                                 - It may be hard to remove the keystone module from the socket without damaging either one + High light output - USB-A to USB-A cable required   - Inconvenient if you want to illuminate multiple lamps BOM: 1x Keystone module USB-A to USB-A - available on Amazon and in electrical stores 1x USB LED stick, max. length ~50mm - available on Amazon 1x USB-A to USB-A cable Printed Parts: 1x 04_mobile_keystone_socket Assembly: Insert the keystone module clip-first into the socket. There is not much space available, so it may be a tight fit Insert the USB stick into the keystone socket and test it Screw the socket assembly into your lamp

Ideas for using the lamps

In addition to using the lamps as Christmas baubles or night lights, you may also use them for baby mobiles or for fairy lights. I'd love to see your ideas and creations. Please share your pictures of your makes and ideas.

Other models

This collection of mobile lamps is the smaller version of the Solar System Lithophane Planet Lamp Collection. All of the lamps above (and some more) are available in 205mm x 205mm x 195mm, including their own lamp bases.

Make your own Planet Lamps and Bases or Remix mine

If you wish to make your own planet lamps, please do not hesitate to PM me. I can give you guidance and provide you with the workflow I used to create my lamps. I will gladly provide you with spherical STL files (without the cut for the base) and with step files or Inventor/Fusion files for remixes.

Also hit me up if you have a nice idea for new lamps. If I find the time, I may provide a detailed tutorial in the future. 

Acknowledgements

A big shout out and thanks to:

• moonournation: to my knowledge, the Lithophane Moon Lamp OP, the original creator who came up with the idea.
• The QuickSilver: to my knowledge, the first person to add a thread to the moon lamp.
• Frank Deschner: the person to popularize the Lithophane Moon Lamp and inspiration to start this collection.

Support me

Creating this collection of planet lamps took more than two years and a lot of prototyping and testing. If you like my work, please consider supporting me. In the future, I would like to add models for the moons Callisto, Europa and Ganymede. Also I am thinking of adding rings to saturn. Your support will help me to make more models available for free. Thank you!
https://ko-fi.com/fritzpeppone 

Changelog

• 10.12.2024 - initial upload
• 18.12.2024 - added support for D20 battery sockets
• 21.12.2024 - added link to the Wago T-connectors
• 23.12.2024 - added the generic socket option 
• 26.12.2024 - complete overhaul of all sockets with improved supports