galaxy pumpkin

How To Carve A Galaxy Pumpkin For A Stellar Halloween

There are plenty of unique ways to design and decorate pumpkins for Halloween, but none are out of this world quite like a galaxy pumpkin.

You get to the pumpkin patch (or grocery store, whatever the case may be) and find your favorite gourd of choice. Now, where to go from here…

There’s an overwhelming number of ways to decorate or carve your pumpkin, and depending on your skill level, the stars are the limit. Or are they?

I have spent the past few days trying to find something clever that combines my love of astrology, creating things, and galaxy art all into one. And I believe I have found it!

These Galaxy Jack O’ Lanterns are the prettiest pumpkins around, and they’re seriously out of this world. See for yourself, and check out our DIY instructions below:

First off, you’re going to need more than just a spoon and a carving knife. We are slightly modifying the directions from Martha Stewart’s instructions so you won’t need as many tools. Obviously, you already have a pumpkin, so we can leave that off the list.

Find a template of the constellation you want on your pumpkin. After you have that, you’re going to need a drill with a drill bit either the same size as the small lightbulbs on LED string lights, or one big enough to allow light through if you’re using a regular tea candle.

You’ll also need scissors, a knife, masking tape, and something to gouge out lines in the pumpkin skin without going all the way through the flesh.

How To Make Your Galaxy Pumpkin

STEP 1– You are going to hollow out your pumpkin and remove all the seeds and pulp. Turn pumpkin on its side and use a knife to carve out a round opening in the base large enough so your hand can fit comfortably through it.

STEP 2– Use a scraping tool to scrape away the inner wall until it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Turn the pumpkin right side up.

STEP 3– Punch holes with drill to create constellations; connect dots with gouge.

STEP 4– Place individual bulbs of a light strand in each hole and pin to secure, or, for a faster finish, insert one battery-powered candle.

The best thing about this is that you can create a design as detailed, or as simple as you want. For example, the galaxy pumpkin below have chosen minimal detail in order to let the “stars” themselves stand out.

Depending on how you choose to paint your Halloween gourd, a simple look can actually go a very long way. Whether you opt for a light pearl finish, a dark blue sky, or a spooky black, the contrast will always be in your favour.

pumpkin with big dipper carved into it

If I’m being honest, I will always choose the “over the top” look as opposed to the simple styles. With the next two examples, a steady hand and a lot of patience is required.

galaxy pumpkin

Also, you’ll need some paints and a toothbrush to create the galaxy effect- just remember to let the paint dry before drilling any holes.

pumpkin with stars

If you’re not into carving and want to skip the mess of de-pulping, you can always use fabric paint for a 3-D effect and paint the constellations on one by one.

And there you have it! You now have the coolest pumpkin on the block, and yes, it’s totally out of this world.

Thomas Nelson
Gardening Expert
Hi! I'm Thomas, one of the founders of The Garden Magazine. I come from a long line of gardeners who used the art of gardening as a way to live long, healthy lives. I'm here to share my knowledge of gardening with the world!