Easy DIY Constellation Jar

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

Because of my love of the stars, when my daughter was little, I purchased her a night light that shines stars all over her bedroom walls. After seeing a few light-filled jars on Pinterest, I had an idea to fill a jar with the constellations — and I was able to create my own constellation jar, using items I had around the house!

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom
DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

CONSTELLATION JAR TUTORIAL

What you’ll need for your own constellation jar:

– a wide mouth jar – The jar needs to be wide enough to fit the small click light inside. A pickle jar works great.
– an aluminum cake pan
– small click light, like these
an awl
– scissors

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

Cut a strip of the cake pan long enough to fit around inside the jar and tall enough to reach to the very top of the jar. Use a spoon to brandish out any writing or crinkled parts.

Use the awl to poke holes for the constellations. Mine are not accurately placed, it is only a small strip of aluminum after all. I included Hercules, the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, Draco, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Orion, Cancer and Gemini.

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

I connected the constellation dots with a silver Sharpie to make them easier to spot.

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

Fill in the other space with more holes. Make the holes smaller than the ones used to make the constellations because it will set the constellations apart.

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

Roll the aluminum sheet until it fits snug inside your constellation jar. Hold the circle in place by cutting two tabs and folding them in opposite directions.

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

Put the encircled aluminum sheet inside the constellation jar. Turn the click light on and place the it inside. Top with the lid. I spray painted my jar lid. It’s looks nicer and smells less like pickles.

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom
DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

Take into a dark room and enjoy your very own constellation jar.

The night sky in a holdable form. I connected the dots below so you can see them too. The Little Dipper, the Big Dipper, Draco and part of Orion.

DIY Constellation Jar featured on top lifestyle blog, Design Mom

P.S. — Check out this DIY kiddie carwash.

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Created by Amy of This Heart of Mine for Design Mom.

90 thoughts on “Easy DIY Constellation Jar”

        1. I would like to try this using black construction paper instead of a foil sheet. It may be safer but not as shiny. I have done this with black construction paper, baby food jars and a hole puncher for a halloween party but larger as a night light would be truly awesome for a kids room.

          1. I tried the black paper. The problem was getting the holes clean enough for the light to shine through. I had hoped to do this project with a battery operated tealight, but the amber one I had on hand was far too weak to shine through even large holes.

      1. You could line the edge with tape and have students use sharpened pencils instead of costly craft tools, but I would recommend trying it 1st to see if it has the same effect you want.

  1. This is so wonderful. Thank you for sharing!

    Here in Colorado we are super below in water levels and it looks like there will be no open flames this summer. These would be great -and safe- in the bigger, half gallon Mason Jars and set out on the patio for a summer evenings.

  2. This would be a perfect addition to the stargazing party that I’m planning. They’d make cute lanterns for the tabletops and shine beautifully once it got dark.

  3. I wonder if you could glue the light onto the lid and place the jar upside down to avoid the gap? Or would it just be distorted? Just a thought. I’ll experiment soon! Great idea, my girlies will love it!
    PS-had Blue Lily shoot and they are fantastic!

  4. When I clicked on the full tutorial, I was surprised how simple it was. I’ve got everything except the click light. I’m hoping an electric tea light will work just as well. Going to test it out with the kids later today.

  5. What an amazing idea! And you’ve made it look so simple. Thanks for sharing, I’ll definitely be trying it out, as soon as I find one of those click lights.

  6. What a fantastic idea. Would make a great nightlight for my daughter or would be fun for little lights outdoors on a summer night too. Love it!

  7. I love this even more than the glow in the dark jars, I’ve seen! Thank you for this one. I can’t wait and will even try it will my 8 year old English Class.

  8. Amazing! I am having a space themed bday party for my 3 year old. These would be great decorations or even take homes in a small version. Really cool!

  9. I LOVE this project! I have seen star night lights that are really expensive and they don’t even have constellations on them. My husband would love to make this for a future nursery! Thanks for sharing!

  10. My kids and I made these yesterday. My son who will be 11 in July wasn’t in the mood to do a craft project with his 3 year old sister. However, when I asked him to help me chose a constellation he joined in. He found the constellation Leo in one of his space books. My three year old was fine with just poking holes in the aluminum tray that we used. Once lit it still looked stars.
    Tip: make sure they holes are big enough that the light will shine through them.
    Happy star gazing!

  11. What a fabulous idea, I love the Stars in France, we have an amazing night sky in Brittany, so much better then London. I’m going to make one of these in the summer with my daughter, and make sure I use sone of the constellations that we can see. Thank you.

  12. Adorable!

    (ps. you mean “burnish”, not “brandish” when you’re talking about smoothing out the aluminum!)

  13. I’m just wondering, how long do these lights last? Do they have batteries you can replace? If so, what kind? And how does the on/off work? Do you have to try and maneuver the light in and out of the jar each time?

    1. Ashley.. The L.E.D light shown in the image works by pressing the glass in the middle, this could be done with the end of a pencil or something without removing the light from the jar.. The take AAA batteries and last quite a long time & the bulbs themselves, being L.E.Ds, will last yonks too :)

    2. I think attaching the led light to the bottom of the jar lid with velcro or 2 sided tape might make the light a little easier to get to.

  14. wow what a great idea, i love how this is so simple and easy to do! do you think if i spry painted the jar instead of using tin foil will have the same effect? and what would i do if i wanted to make a larger scale out of this project, how would i actually install on the room light?

  15. What a wonderful idea! :) I love it!
    Do you know by any chance where I could get the small led click light?

    Do you think it would be practical to put a candle inside the jar rather than a led light?

    Thank you for insipiring post!

  16. We made these using coffee cans. Fill them with water, freeze to hold the shape, use hammer and nails to punch the holes, let water melt and done. No cuttung involved.
    Lots of tutorials for these on the web, look for can lanterns.

  17. Looks like a wonderful craft to use this summer with the kids who come camping at the state park.
    I am wondering what the “stars” would look like if the holes where punched with the tip of a Phillips screwdriver. (I think I will try the small to medium head Phillips as they kind of already look like stars.) Will have to be careful not to punch too deeply or will lose the pattern.

  18. I’m so glad I found this post! I actually found your project on pinterest on this site: http://www.surprisediy.com/diy-249.html, which appears to have scraped your content. So you may want to look into that if you did not give them your images.

    All that to say….I think your project is awesome! I started trying to find the original source because we are planning to feature it on Dollar Store Crafts sometime in the next week.

    All the Best,
    Carissa
    Dollarstorecrafts.com

  19. elizabeth durham

    i am 11 years old and in looking for a constellation handmade project for school and i drifted to this website your very creative and i think i just found my handmade project thanks and keep up all the good work your doing

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