Watchly Safety Review

Solar System Model From a Drone's View

8:03 · 18.4M views · March 9, 2016

Safe for Most KidsReviewed June 2026

This solar system scale video is one of the cleanest, most genuinely educational pieces of science content available for kids, with zero concerning material and a strong sense of wonder throughout. Using everyday objects like soccer balls, grapes, and pepper flakes to represent planets, the creator makes abstract astronomical distances tangible and memorable. A former NASA employee, the host closes with a beautifully delivered reflection on the scale of the universe that is likely to spark curiosity and awe in viewers of all ages.

What Parents Need to Know

This video is an excellent science resource with no language, violence, advertising, or age-inappropriate content of any kind. The host, who spent nine years working at NASA, uses a football field and common household objects to demonstrate the true scale of the solar system, making a notoriously difficult concept genuinely understandable. Kids will come away with a real sense of planetary distances, the concept of Planet Nine, and the staggering scale of the universe — including a memorable explanation of the Hubble Deep Field image. The closing reflection on the likelihood of life elsewhere in the universe is philosophical but grounded in science, and may prompt thoughtful questions from curious kids.

Talk to Your Kids About

1If Earth is the size of a pinhead on a football field, how does that make you feel about how big or small we are?
2The host used to work at NASA — what do you think it would be like to have a job studying space?
3Why do you think it's hard to show the real distances between planets in a single picture or drawing?
4The video says there might be a ninth planet we haven't seen yet. How do scientists figure out something exists if they can't see it directly?

Protected Viewing

What's This Video About?

I heart space but sometimes it can be hard to comprehend. I try to fix that in this video with junk you can find lying around your house. Also, if you’ve wondered how there could be a ninth planet that we’ve never noticed till now I try to clear that up too by demonstrating just how impossibly far away it is. Make your own scale model of the Solar System using this spreadsheet I made. If you put in the size of the object you’re using for a Sun it will scale everything else for you: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8504613/Solar%20System%20Scaler.xlsx MUSIC- 0:08- Berlin- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 0:47- I’m So- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 1:32- The Ocean- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 5:46- Berlin- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 6:14- Special song written just fo my bad self- Lincoln Hoppe, http://lincolnhoppe.com/ 7:00- The Ocean- Andrew Applepie- http://www.andrewapplepie.com/ 8:52- Birds Don’t Sing- TV Girl- https://tvgirl.bandcamp.com/ Drone footage courtesy of the amazing Stephen Diaz- https://www.instagram.com/steezdiaz/ or http://trecreative.com/ PLEASE CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-Sub **************************************** I make videos like this once a month all year long while supplies last: CHECK OUT MY CHANNEL: http://tinyurl.com/MarkRober-YouTube FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRoberYou... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/MarkRober INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/markrober/

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this video appropriate for?

This video is suitable for children aged 6 and up. The concepts are explained clearly using visual comparisons, though younger children may need a parent nearby to help contextualize ideas like galaxy scale and the Hubble telescope.

Is there anything inappropriate or concerning in this video?

No — this video scored zero across every safety category reviewed, including language, violence, advertising, and manipulation. It is one of the cleanest educational videos available on the topic.

Is the science in this video accurate?

Yes, the science is well-grounded. The host references his nine years working at NASA and accurately describes the scale model, the Hubble Deep Field image, and the then-current hypothesis about a potential ninth planet. The Planet Nine hypothesis is presented as a scientific prediction, not confirmed fact.

Will this video help my child with school science topics?

Absolutely. The video directly supports common curriculum topics including the order of the planets, relative sizes and distances in the solar system, and the scale of the universe. The object-based scale model is particularly effective as a memory aid.

Does the video promote any products or contain ads?

There is no sponsored content, product placement, or advertising detected in this video. The creator uses only common household objects as props with no commercial intent.

Is the ending about life on other planets appropriate for kids?

Yes — the closing reflection is thoughtful and science-based, noting that the sheer number of stars makes it statistically unlikely we are alone. It is not scary or sensationalist, and is likely to inspire curiosity rather than anxiety.