Solar System
The Solar System includes the Sun, eight planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other bodies bound by gravity.
Explore the eight planets through an interactive visualization. The display is a teaching model: sizes, distances, and orbital periods are not simultaneously shown at one physical scale.
The Solar System includes the Sun, eight planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other bodies bound by gravity.
A planet stays in orbit because the Sun’s gravity continuously changes the direction of its velocity. Kepler’s laws describe planetary motion.
Hover over a planet to inspect distance, orbital period, day length, speed, moons, temperature, and diameter. The speed slider changes animation rate, not physical data.
A true common scale would make planets tiny and widely separated, so the graphics prioritize readability.
Which planet has the shortest year? How does orbital period change with distance? Why do planets not simply travel in straight lines?