Milky Way Galaxy model in 3D relief

Milky Way Galaxy model in 3D relief 

This Milky Way Galaxy model in 3D relief is a fully 3D-printable model designed to help understand and visualize the structure of our galaxy, the Milky Way, in three dimensions and to compare the position of our solar system relative to the rest of the galaxy.

This model is suitable for teaching and educational purposes or for school projects, and it allows users to explore the fundamental mechanisms of the cosmos on a larger scale within the universe.

The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy that contains hundreds of billions of stars, along with planets, gas, dust, and dark matter. Our Solar System is located in one of its spiral arms (see image below with position marked), called the Orion Arm, about 27,000 light-years from the galactic center. The galaxy is approximately 100,000 light-years wide, a measurement that represents the distance light travels in 100,000 years—about 9.46 × 10¹² kilometers per light-year—highlighting the immense scale of our galaxy.

Main features

• Milky Way model with barred spiral structure, central bulge and flattened galactic disk
• The model has an internal hole for inserting a mounting pin or threading a stick through to display it suspended.
• Dimensions: about 12.5 cm (49.2 inches) in  ∅ diameter and 2.2 cm (0.86 inches) in height
• Printable in two pieces to be glued together; alignment is made easy by a central hole and a 3D-printed pin included

• To permanently join the two parts, glue them together, making sure they are centered

   

Colouring tips

Feel free to color the template and add light shades of blue, purple, etc., , use your favourite material and filament colour, paint the model using acrylic paints, or color it in Bambu studio slicer and print it in multiple colors.

It can also be printed with certain parts made of blue or yellow glow-in-the-dark filament to decorate a room or make it more visible.

Notes on model accuracy

This model was created based on a reference image showing a top-down and side view found in the paper at the following link: 
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Milky-Way-Galaxy-The-location-of-the-Sun-is-marked_fig1_309964290

This 3D model of the Milky Way is a simplified physical representation designed for educational purposes and for practical 3D printing as a single-piece object. The model is based on a stylized black-and-white reference image commonly found in educational materials, which itself represents a scientific reconstruction rather than a direct observation.

To make the galaxy understandable, structurally clear, and physically printable, several intentional simplifications and adaptations have been applied.
 

What is realistically represented:

• The overall barred spiral structure of the Milky Way
• The presence of a central bulge and flattened galactic disk
• The existence of spiral arms extending outward
• The approximate relative position of the Solar System in a minor arm
• The general “top view” and “side view” morphology used in astronomy

Simplifications and less realistic aspects due to modelling:

• Spiral arms are shown as smooth, continuous, and symmetric, while in reality they are irregular and fragmented
• The number, shape, and spacing of arms are approximate and not exact
• The thickness of the disk is exaggerated for visibility and printability
• The central bar structure may be simplified or less defined than in current models
• The scale of distances (e.g., between arms and the galactic center) is not accurate
• The contrast and sharp boundaries do not reflect the diffuse nature of stars and gas
• The model does not represent the galactic halo or dark matter distribution
• Some features are adapted to ensure the model can be printed as a single solid piece without supports or disconnected or fragile elements
   

Further reading and resources

For more accurate and up-to-date scientific information about the Milky Way, you can explore:

• NASA – Milky Way overview
  https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/what-is-the-milky-way
• European Space Agency – Gaia mission results
  https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Gaia
• Hubble Space Telescope – Galaxy structure articles
  https://hubblesite.org
• ESO – Galactic research
  https://www.eso.org/public/science/galaxies/
• NASA/IPAC
  https://www.ipac.caltech.edu
• Milky Way Wikipedia: page
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way

3D Printing tips

Use the print profile I created with the recommended settings.

Test and results: result showed in the images are printed with cyan PLA BASIC filament with printer Bambulab P1S, 0.4 nozzle, Cool Plate / PLA Plate

Possible combinations

This model can be combined with this Complete Solar System model 1:1'188'500'000 scale made by me and available on MakerWorld here:

https://makerworld.com/en/models/446109-complete-solar-system-model-1-1-188-500-000-scale