Is the solar system simulator free?

Yes — completely free, no account or sign-up. The 3D engine loads right in your browser.

Are the orbits and sizes real?

Yes. Orbital periods, rotation rates, axial tilts, sizes, distances, gravity and temperatures use NASA-published values. Visible Scale compresses distances so everything fits on screen; True Scale shows honest proportions.

Can I speed up or pause time?

Yes — pause, or run at one day, week, month, year or decade per simulated second. The date readout tracks where the simulation is.

Does it work fullscreen?

Yes — use Fullscreen to fill the window or Pop Out to open it in its own resizable window.

Interactive 3D Solar System

Explore a real-time 3D solar system, click a body for a close camera view and inspect its slowly rotating textured model and astronomy data.

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Drag To Orbit · Scroll To Zoom · Click A Body To Follow It · Select A Planet To See Its Moons

Sizes, distances, orbital elements, rotation, tilts and temperatures use NASA-published values. Positions use approximate J2000 mean elements. Planet surface maps are from Solar System Scope (CC BY 4.0). Everything renders locally with three.js; nothing is uploaded.

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What Is the Interactive 3D Solar System?

The Interactive 3D Solar System renders the Sun, all eight planets, 18 named moons, Pluto and Halley’s Comet with astronomy data for orbital periods, rotation, axial tilt, gravity, temperature and atmosphere. Clicking a body follows it with a closer camera view and opens a dossier with a larger slowly rotating texture. Choose any simulation date, run time from paused to a decade per second, toggle labels and orbits, or compare compressed and relative scales.

How It Works

Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, and click a body or choose it from Go To. The camera moves in for a closer look while the details panel shows a rotating surface view. Pick a date or return to Today, then use play, pause and speed controls to move through time. Toggle Orbits and Labels, compare Visible Scale with True Scale, and use Fullscreen or Pop Out for a larger view.

When to Use It

Use it to teach or learn astronomy, compare planet sizes and distances, inspect a planet’s day length or gravity, follow Halley’s Comet, tour major moons or explore the solar system by date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the solar system simulator free?: Yes — completely free, no account or sign-up. The 3D engine loads right in your browser.
Are the orbits and sizes real?: Yes. Orbital periods, rotation rates, axial tilts, sizes, distances, gravity and temperatures use NASA-published values. Visible Scale compresses distances so everything fits on screen; True Scale shows honest proportions.
Can I speed up or pause time?: Yes — pause, or run at one day, week, month, year or decade per simulated second. The date readout tracks where the simulation is.
Does it work fullscreen?: Yes — use Fullscreen to fill the window or Pop Out to open it in its own resizable window.

Found an issue? Send Feedback. See our data sources and update policy for tools that depend on changing information.