Update 18 June 2024: As discussed in the comments, a reader pointed out that I was misinterpreting the indication of the month of the year, and Lego’s instructions are correct. I’ve struck out the incorrect portions of this post. (And I’ve corrected the model on my desk.)

When I saw that Lego was releasing an orrery, I knew that I had to get my hands on it — for work! I deal with new space mission concepts around the Moon with some regularity, and you have no idea how often I find myself thinking, okay, that lamp is the Sun and my hat is the Earth, so the spacecraft has to point its solar panels over there — but then the Earth moves, so it has to point over there now…. A functional desk orrery would actually come in handy! Well, I’ve finally purchased and built Lego set #42179: Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit.

Here’s what I think of the model and how well it captures the real motions of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.

Continue reading A Spacecraft Engineer’s Review of Lego #42179 Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit →