Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversHalloween DealsAmazon USHalloween week deals: useful picks before month-endAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run Scan×
Skip to content
World desk7 min

Building a Real-Time Solar System in OpenCode With Free AI Models: What Is Free and What Isn’t

Build an animated solar system in OpenCode with Three.js, using a scene graph where the Moon orbits Earth and Earth orbits the Sun. Learn which model access routes are free and which are paid.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

You can build an animated, real-time solar system in OpenCode by having its agent write a Three.js scene. The coding agent and the AI model are separate things with separate costs. OpenCode is the tool you work in. The model it calls comes from a provider account or a local model that you configure, and whether that model costs you anything depends on that provider’s current terms. The sources behind this guide do not establish a current free quota for any named provider, so treat “free” as a description of one particular setup, not a promise that every OpenCode model is free.

Separate the coding agent from the model cost

OpenCode describes itself as “an open source AI coding agent” in its official introduction. That same introduction says you need API keys for the providers you choose to use. The models documentation describes support for 75+ LLM providers and local models, a figure the page gives without a date.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In practice there are three ways a model can reach OpenCode. Each has different prerequisites and different cost rules.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Route What you need before you start Who sets the access and billing rules
External provider account (your own API key) An account with the provider and an API key entered into OpenCode The provider. Its free allowance, rate limits and billing are set in its own terms, which can change. Not established by the sources cited here.
OpenCode Console (optional) An OpenCode Console account OpenCode. Its Console documentation describes per-request usage charged against pay-as-you-go credits. This is one paid path, not a requirement.
Local model A model running on your own machine, configured in OpenCode Your hardware and the model’s license. The sources cited here do not state hardware requirements or quality levels.

If the goal is a build that costs nothing, the decision is about which route you can verify today, not about OpenCode itself.

#1 Best Overall
National Geographic Glow in the Dark Solar System Model for Kids Ages 8-12
  • BUILD & DISPLAY A MOVING, GLOWING SOLAR SYSTEM – With this kit, kids can customize all 8 planets and the sun, creating a stunning 3D solar system model that glows in the dark! It’s an awesome addition to any space-themed room.
  • ALL-INCLUSIVE KIT – Everything needed to build a glowing solar system is included: 6 vibrant paint colors, glow-in-the-dark accent paint, brush, palette, fun decals, and a poster with solar system facts! Kid-friendly instructions make assembly easy!
  • MOVABLE ARMS FOR EASY ADJUSTMENTS – Adjust the position of the planets with ease! The model’s movable arms allow kids to set up and rearrange their solar system display to match their imagination.
  • LEARN HANDS-ON FUN FACTS ABOUT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM – Dive into the wonders of space with this engaging model kit! Kids will learn fascinating facts about each planet as they build and explore their own glow-in-the-dark solar system.
  • AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTS - Blue Marble, winner of the Toy Association's prestigious Toy of the Year Award, proudly develops products that foster education, imagination, and creativity, with a U.S. support team to ensure a stellar experience!

Choose and record your model

The model list changes, and OpenCode says its recommended list is non-exhaustive and may not be current. Use the live picker rather than any article’s list, including this one.

  1. Read the models page to understand how providers and identifiers are named in configuration.
  2. Start OpenCode in your project folder and run /models to see which models your current configuration exposes.
  3. Select one model and write down four things: the provider, the exact model identifier, the date you checked, and the access route from the table above.
  4. Read that provider’s own free-tier, rate-limit and account terms before you rely on them. Those terms, not OpenCode, decide whether a request is free.

Recording the date matters. A model that is free this month may not be next month, and a tutorial that names a model without a date is already out of date.

Set up the project

The build needs only a browser and a small Three.js project. Three.js is a browser-oriented 3D library. Its fundamentals guide describes it as a way to make 3D content for web pages, covering scenes, lights, shadows, materials, textures and 3D math. It does not supply astronomical data, so every position and speed in the scene is a value you choose.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #2
wookidel 64 PCS Solar System Project Kit, Solar System for Kids
  • 【SET CONTENT】The solar system kit includes 7.87 inches of foam discs, 1 sun, 12 foam balls of different shapes, 4 foam stars, 15 bamboo sticks 15 toothpick flags, 12 Colors, 2 Brushes, 1 palette, 1 instruction. The Solar System Model Kit provides everything kids need to carry out solar system projects, kids can easily start solar system projects in school or at home!
  • 【Space Enlightenment】The Solar System Model Kit allows kids to color and build their own solar system model, providing kids a more intuitive understanding of the planet in the solar system. With a Solar System Instruction, which introduces kids to the relevant details of the solar system, sparking their curiosity and desire to explore astronomy and science!
  • 【High Quality】The solar system science kit for kids 3-5 is made of durable polystyrene foam with a smooth surface that's easy to color, and includes 12 acrylic paints, which are safe and odorless. Kids can use their imagination to create the planets of the school solar system project!
  • 【Learning by Playing】The solar system project kit helps kids build skills through fun. Creating planets not only improves kids hand-eye coordination and focus, but also boosts their scientific knowledge and artistic skills.
  • 【Wide Application】The Solar System Kit is perfect for themes and activities about the solar system and planets. It’s great for enhancing classroom learning about the solar system and also makes a fun family activity.
  1. Install OpenCode by following the steps in the official introduction, then add your provider key as that page describes.
  2. Create an empty project folder and install Three.js from npm with npm install three.
  3. Serve the folder through a bundler or development server, so that the import of the OrbitControls addon described below resolves in the browser.
  4. Open the project in OpenCode and begin the scene work from the prompt below.

A starting prompt for OpenCode

Give the agent a bounded task with a clear structure. This prompt asks for a scene graph and interaction, not a claim about orbital accuracy:

Create index.html and main.js for a Three.js scene.
Use a Sun at the origin, an Earth that orbits the Sun,
and a Moon that orbits the Earth. Parent the Moon's orbit
object to the Earth so its motion is in Earth's local space.
Add OrbitControls with damping enabled. Animate with
elapsed time. Label the speeds as illustrative values.

Review the output before running it. Check the hierarchy yourself, because a plausible-looking scene can still attach the Moon to the wrong object.

Model the solar system as a scene graph

The key idea is parenting. The Three.js scene graph guide uses this exact example and states it directly: “The Earth orbits the Sun. The Moon orbits the Earth.” When a parent rotates, its children move with it, so the Moon’s motion can be written relative to the Earth rather than to the Sun.

Rank #3
48PCS Solar System Model Foam Ball Kit Includes 10 Sizes Polystyrene Spheres Balls, Bamboo Sticks, Toothpick Flags, 12 Color Pigments, Brushes, Paint Tray Palette for School Science Projects
  • Solar system model kit: package comes with 12 pieces foam balls, 2 pieces foam rings, 15 pieces bamboo sticks, 15 pieces toothpick flags, 12 color pigments, 2 pieces painting brushes, 1 pieces paint tray palette. Now securely shipped in a sturdy cardboard box to guarantee all pieces arrive undamaged and ready for your project.
  • Variety of Sizes for Visual Learning: The kit includes 10 differently sized foam balls (as pictured) to visually represent the relative scale and hierarchy of the Sun, planets, and Pluto. This hands-on approach helps learners easily observe and understand planetary size relationships.
  • Upgraded Premium Paint Set: Features our enhanced paint set with 12 vibrant colors (increased from 8), each in a larger 5ml pot for richer coverage, longer use, and more creative possibilities.
  • Easy to assemble: You can identify the different planets by writing the planet's name on a blank toothpick flag and inserting it into a foam ball. No glue required, they can be easily assembled using bamboo skewers, create your planetary model to understand how our solar system is arranged.
  • Fun learning tool: You and your kids had a great time painting and putting this together and learnt a lot about the planets in the process. It was a decent lesson representing the Solar system for a young child. Perfect for handmade craft, DIY decoration, school project, science projects and more.

Why the hierarchy matters

If you add the Moon directly to the scene and give it a position far from the Sun, you have to calculate its path around the Sun yourself. Parenting does that work. Rotate the Earth’s orbit object and the Earth and Moon move together; rotate the Moon’s orbit object and only the Moon circles the Earth.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

The scene in code

import * as THREE from 'three';
import { OrbitControls } from 'three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js';

const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ antialias: true });
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);

const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(60, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000);
camera.position.set(0, 20, 40);

const sun = new THREE.Mesh(
  new THREE.SphereGeometry(3, 32, 32),
  new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0xffcc33 })
);
scene.add(sun);

// Earth's orbit object sits at the Sun's centre
const earthOrbit = new THREE.Object3D();
scene.add(earthOrbit);

const earth = new THREE.Mesh(
  new THREE.SphereGeometry(1, 32, 32),
  new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({ color: 0x3377ff })
);
earth.position.x = 10;
earthOrbit.add(earth);

// Moon's orbit object is a child of Earth, so it moves with Earth
const moonOrbit = new THREE.Object3D();
earth.add(moonOrbit);

const moon = new THREE.Mesh(
  new THREE.SphereGeometry(0.3, 16, 16),
  new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({ color: 0xcccccc })
);
moon.position.x = 2;
moonOrbit.add(moon);

scene.add(new THREE.PointLight(0xffffff, 2, 0, 0));
scene.add(new THREE.AmbientLight(0x404040));

const controls = new OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
controls.enableDamping = true;

const clock = new THREE.Clock();

function animate() {
  requestAnimationFrame(animate);
  const t = clock.getElapsedTime();
  earthOrbit.rotation.y = t * 0.5;
  moonOrbit.rotation.y = t * 2.0;
  controls.update();
  renderer.render(scene, camera);
}
animate();

The numbers (orbit radii, rotation rates, sizes) are arbitrary and chosen for legibility. They are not measured values, and the scene does not model gravity.

Add camera controls and the animation loop

OrbitControls is an addon, so import it explicitly as shown above. The OrbitControls documentation says the addon supports camera orbiting, dollying (zooming) and panning. When damping or automatic rotation is enabled, controls.update() must run every frame. If you add auto-rotation, pass elapsed time in seconds so the speed does not depend on the display’s frame rate.

Rank #4
Playz Solar System Model kit for Kids, Planetarium Projector Planet Toys
  • CURIOUS KIDS FAVORITE TOY: Playz Electric Solar System Model Kit teaches your little astronomer the wonders of our galaxy with a 4 speed orbit motor. Ours is the biggest space toys model kit available in the USA. Perfect astronomy gift for kids!
  • HANDS ON PROJECT: 75+ premium parts combined with a color instruction manual makes for an intuitive DIY assembly. Loaded with fun educational facts about physics, astronomy, science, and engineering. Large model measures 26" x 18" x 11"
  • OUTER SPACE CREATIVITY: Children can paint their own planets with the included paint set and foam balls or use the high quality laser painted planets for an excellent science fair or school project display!
  • STUNNING VIEWS: The sun is a portable HD projector that projects 8 beautiful planets on any surface! Many kids use it as a cool nightlight or flashlight. (4x AA BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED)
  • "TRUST OUR PLAYZ PROMISE - Do your research! You know the quality you will get when purchasing a Playz solar system kit. If you are unhappy with your purchase, contact us at anytime for a refund.

What “real-time” means in this build

In this scene, real-time means the objects keep moving as frames render, and the camera responds as you drag. It does not mean the Earth and Moon are where they really are today. To show actual positions, you would need an external source of orbital data and a documented model for applying it, and this build includes neither. Label the animation as illustrative if you publish it.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Troubleshooting

Symptom Likely cause What to check
Blank page with a module error in the browser console The Three.js import path does not resolve Confirm npm install three ran and that your bundler or server serves the project folder
OrbitControls is undefined or not found The addon was not imported from its explicit path Use three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js as in the code above
Camera ignores mouse drag after enabling damping No controls.update() call in the loop Confirm the call sits inside animate() on every frame
Moon circles the Sun instead of the Earth The Moon’s orbit object was added to the scene, not to Earth Check that moonOrbit is a child of earth
OpenCode shows no usable model No provider key is configured, or the chosen model is not in your catalog Run /models again and confirm the provider in the models documentation matches your account

Reproducing the build

Keep the project to three parts: the scene graph, the controls, and the loop. Record the model and date you used, so a reader can tell whether the setup still works. If a provider changes its free terms, the rest of the code does not need to change, because the graphics work does not depend on which model wrote it.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Further reading on Three.js fundamentals is available in the free online tutorial series Discover three.js.

Best Value
Nine Planets DIY Solar System Model for Kids - Complete Solar System Kit for Kids 8+ Years Old - Includes Wood Model & Puzzle with Fact Cards - Science Kits for 8-12 Years Old
  • Science Kits for Kids 8-12: Complete model solar system for kids includes wood set, puzzle, and fun fact cards. This two part DIY solar system kit allows kids to build a cool model, paint, and learn about the major 9 planets. Designed for 8 & up.
  • Science Fairs & More: Bring the planets to life with our Nine Planets kit. Makes the perfect realistic solar system model for elementary school science fairs & more. Proudly display in a bedroom, science fair, or classroom. For girls and & boys.
  • Planetary Enlightenment: Foster a love for learning with our solar system project, an engaging educational science kit that makes complex concepts easy to understand and enjoyable for young minds. Includes fact cards for quick and accurate solar system information.
  • Planetary Delight: Unleash creativity and curiosity with our solar system project kit . Children will delight in their exploration of the universe while having fun accomplishing this all in one kit. We offer the perfect science kits for kids age 8-12.
  • Craft & Learn: Everything you need to build the wood model, paint the major planets, and build the puzzle. Includes The Sun, Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune. Includes paint and brushes. Build the model in approximately 1-2 hours.

Also note the wider trade-off: an agent writes faster than you can verify a hierarchy, so check the parenting and the animation math yourself before you trust the scene.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does using OpenCode mean my AI usage is free?

No. OpenCode’s introduction says you need API keys for the providers you choose, and its Console documentation describes pay-as-you-go credits for one optional route. Whether a given model costs anything depends on that provider or local setup and its current terms.

Does the solar system in this build show where the planets really are?

No. The build uses a scene graph with arbitrary speeds and sizes. Showing actual positions would require an external orbital data source and a documented model for applying it.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You DownFree scan - exact matches

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.