ONE STAR. A NEIGHBORHOOD OF WORLDS.
Space Lab
Meet our Solar System. Follow an orbit. Find a world worth exploring.
A little perspective.
A much bigger universe.
Follow the worlds.
Drag to orbit · scroll or pinch to zoom · select a world
Planet positions start at the current date, then time advances at the selected speed. Positions are approximate; moon phases remain schematic.
THE WORLD AT A GLANCE
Values are rounded reference data. Giant-planet temperatures describe atmospheric levels, not a solid surface. Negative rotation periods indicate retrograde rotation.
A CLOSER LOOK
FEATURED MOONS
About scale, time, imagery & sources
Two ways to see distance. Explorer spacing compresses the gaps between planetary orbits while retaining each path’s eccentricity and inclination. True relative distances uses one common distance scale. Worlds are enlarged markers in both overview modes. Compare sizes uses proportional world diameters.
Date-based motion. Planets start at approximately their current positions, calculated locally from JPL orbital elements and their rates of change. The simulation date then advances at the selected speed; Set to current time resynchronizes it with your device clock. The supported planet-model interval is 1800–2050; animation pauses at the limit. Earth follows the Earth–Moon barycenter approximation. Pluto uses a simplified Kepler orbit anchored to JPL Horizons elements from October 15, 2026. This is not a high-precision ephemeris or a tool for predicting sky events. Moon phases and orbit-plane directions remain schematic.
Earth rotation and daylight. Earth’s 3D close-up uses approximate solar coordinates and sidereal rotation from the U.S. Naval Observatory to align the surface map and sunlight with the displayed UTC time. The map is static, with no live clouds or weather. This is an educational approximation, not a precise sunrise or eclipse predictor. Other worlds retain illustrative rotation, pole directions, and close-up lighting; their surface longitudes are not synchronized. Moon phases remain schematic. The 2D fallback does not display dated Earth rotation or its day/night boundary.
Visuals. Planet, Sun, and Earth’s Moon textures: Solar System Scope / INOVE, CC BY 4.0, based on NASA imagery with adjusted colors and some filled terrain. Other globe surfaces and ring patterns are clearly labeled illustrations. Photographs and their full credits are linked to their NASA Science source pages.
Science references: JPL orbital elements, NASA planetary fact sheets, and individual NASA Science world pages. Moon lists are curated; total moon counts change as discoveries are confirmed. Data gathered October 15, 2026. Three.js is distributed under its MIT license.
NERDSTY · Learning as we go.