Introduction: Light Censored Christmas Star

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Credit: https://www.instructables.com/id/Larger-and-Improv...

This Christmas star design is originated from the link above, which is a larger Christmas star using WS2811 without other functions aside shining. However, most of my designing codes follow the one he provides, so I still want to give him the credit for my work. Without his contribution, I can't finish my own project. The product of this project will shine in dark surroundings and will stop his shining routine as the brightness around increases.

Step 1: Prepare Your Materials

Material list:

  1. Arduino Leonardo
  2. Arduino Breadboard
  3. 8 jump wires (male to male)
  4. Wooden piece (30cm X 30cm)
  5. Wood Saw
  6. Photoresistor
  7. 220-ohm resistor
  8. WS2812 strip (1 meter)

Step 2: Design Codes

Copy the code at this link: https://create.arduino.cc/editor/ryancs_peng/a0889...

Download the adafruit neopixel zip at this link to record it in your Arduino library: https://www.arduinolibraries.info/libraries/adafru...

For the second link, download the most recent file.

Step 3: Circuits and Wooden Stars

Wooden Star Design:

  1. Cut a wooden star from the wooden piece (10cm each side, 2cm width, 1cm thick)
  2. Tie WS2812 on it with scotch tape, do not tape it on the side, or else the brightness will be less

Circuit Design:

Except for the green piece (simulated WS2812), you can follow the whole circuit. If you want to change the place of D pin, edit the 6th line of the code. The way to connect WS2812 will be taught in the next part of this tutorial.

Step 4: Connection

To connect the jump wire with WS2812, you must observe the instruction on it. Look at the bronze dots on my WS2812. It tells that the white wire must connect to GND, the green wire must connect to D pin, and the red wire must connect with the 5V. So in order to let our strip follow the code instruction, you must make sure that every wire is connected with the right jump wire on our Arduino Leonardo and breadboard.

Step 5: Operation

After connecting the wires, you finish your product. The star will light itself up automatically when the ambient brightness drops to a specific point. As a result, you don't need to operate it, just connect the wire then your light censored Christmas Star is done. :)