What is Solar System Viewer?

Solar System Viewer is an interactive 3D visualization of our solar system. Explore the eight planets plus Pluto, compare their relative sizes, follow their orbital paths, and click any body to read its key facts.

The scene is rendered with three.js so you can drag to orbit the camera, scroll to zoom from the inner planets out past Neptune, and pause animation at any moment. Click any planet, or the Sun itself, to open an info panel listing diameter, distance from the Sun, rotation and orbital period, surface temperature, gravity, mass, atmosphere, what a 70 kg person would weigh there, and known moon counts, plus a quick fact card. Pluto and other dwarf planets sit behind a toggle so the default view stays uncluttered, and a size-comparison strip puts every planet next to Jupiter so you can see how small the inner worlds really are.

How to use

1. Use mouse or touch to rotate the view around the solar system. Scroll to zoom in and out.
2. Click any planet, or the Sun itself, to select it and see details like diameter, distance, gravity, atmosphere, and what you would weigh there.
3. Toggle orbit lines, planet labels, and animation speed using the control panel.

When to use

• Teaching kids the order of the planets and their relative sizes at a glance.
• Looking up a planet's orbital period or surface temperature without opening Wikipedia.
• Demo for a class presentation when you need a moving solar system, not a still image.

Result

Compare Jupiter's size to Earth, watch Mars trace its orbit, or look up surface temperatures for any planet. It's all in one interactive 3D view.

FAQ

Are the planet sizes and distances drawn to scale?

No. If they were, Mercury through Mars would be a single pixel and Neptune would be off-screen. Sizes are exaggerated for visibility, and orbital radii are compressed. The numerical facts in the side panel are accurate.

Does this viewer include Pluto?

Yes. Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, but you can add it to the scene at any time using the "Dwarf Planets" toggle in the control panel. Its orbit and labelled body will appear out past Neptune.

Can I pause the animation to take a screenshot?

Yes. Use the pause button in the control panel to stop orbits and rotation. The view stays interactive, so you can still rotate the camera and click planets while paused.

Where does the orbital and physical data come from?

Values are based on NASA fact sheets: mean orbital radius, sidereal rotation period, equatorial diameter, and mean surface temperature. Rounded for display but within published ranges.

Does the viewer need WebGL or a fast graphics card?

Standard WebGL support is enough. Any laptop or phone from the last five years runs it fine. If the scene fails to load, hardware acceleration may be disabled in your browser settings.

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