How to Create a Circle of 13 Stars in Microsoft Publisher
Question details
The user needs to arrange 13 stars in a perfect circle for a logo design.
- Product
- Microsoft Publisher
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating a business logo or graphic, such as the Betsy Ross flag, that requires objects to be arranged evenly around a central point.
- Observed behavior
- The user wants to know the exact steps and angles required to evenly distribute 13 individual star shapes in a circular pattern.
Ensure you have the 'Snap to Guides' or 'Snap to Objects' feature turned on in Microsoft Publisher to help align your shapes accurately.
Use a Construction Line and Custom Rotation
Use a vertical line as an anchor to calculate and apply exact rotation angles for each star.
Since Microsoft Publisher does not have a dedicated 'circular array' tool, you must manually rotate the objects. By pairing the star with a temporary line acting as the radius of your circle, you can easily pivot the shapes around a central anchor.
Go to the 'Insert' tab, click on 'Shapes', and select the Line tool. Draw a straight vertical line to act as your center guide.
Go to 'Insert' > 'Shapes', select a star shape, and place it exactly at the top end of your vertical line.
Select both the vertical line and the star. Right-click and choose 'Group'. Press Ctrl+C to copy this grouped object.
Press Ctrl+V to paste a copy. Select the new group, navigate to the 'Format' tab, click 'Rotate', select 'More Rotation Options', and enter '27.69' degrees.
Align the bottom of the new vertical line with the bottom of the original one. Paste another copy, rotate it by 55.38 degrees (27.69 x 2), and align it again. Continue this process, adding 27.69 degrees each time, until all 13 stars are placed.
Once the circle is complete, select all groups, ungroup them, and delete all the central vertical lines, leaving only your 13 stars.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a faster way to arrange shapes in a circle without doing math?
In basic desktop publishing software like Publisher, manual calculation and rotation are usually required. However, professional vector graphic software like Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW has built-in blend or circular array tools that automate this process.
Why do my stars look slightly off-center after rotating?
This usually happens if the construction line wasn't grouped properly with the star before rotating, or if the lines were not perfectly identical in length. Ensure the rotation anchor point remains exactly at the bottom center of the construction line for every copy.
Can I perform this same trick in Microsoft Word or PowerPoint?
Yes, the exact same method of using a grouping line and entering custom rotation angles works seamlessly in both Word and PowerPoint, as they share the same drawing engine as Publisher.
