Heliocentric solar system view

The solar system seen from above the Sun

This 3D model places the Sun at the centre and draws the planets where they really are on the chosen date. The reference plane is the ecliptic, the plane of Earth's orbit, and directions are measured from the vernal equinox of J2000.0, the standard frame of modern ephemerides.

Positions are computed in your browser with the methods of Jean Meeus' Astronomical Algorithms: the VSOP87 periodic terms give the heliocentric longitude, latitude and distance of each planet, and the orbital elements give the shape of each orbit. Nothing is precomputed on a server.

Use the left menu to draw each orbit as an ellipse, with its major axis, perihelion and aphelion, and the line of nodes where the orbit crosses the ecliptic. The constellation and zodiac layers show which background stars each planet appears against, in the tropical or the sidereal zodiac, and the distance table gives each planet's distance in millions of kilometres or in astronomical units. Click a planet for its distances, light-time and elongation.

Press Play or drag the timeline to run time forward or back. The inner planets sweep around in weeks or months, while Saturn, Uranus and Neptune barely move in a year. Drag to rotate the view and scroll or pinch to zoom.

• Where the planets are today — table and next events
• Orbit — the ellipse and its elements
• Perihelion — closest point to the Sun
• Aphelion — farthest point from the Sun
• The ecliptic — the plane of the planets
• Earth to Mars launch windows
• Spacecraft trajectories

Made by Laurent Remond