01 / Rocky planetMercury
Impact basins scar a rocky surface beneath an extremely thin exosphere.
Cosmic Explorer 3D Solar System
Explore the Solar System Like Never Before.
FLIGHT DECK / 01
Enter orbit.
Travel from the inner planets to the ice giants. Choose a world to fly alongside it.
Cinematic spacing compresses the outer system. Body sizes and moon paths are exaggerated. 1× advances one simulated hour per second.
Object dossier · Overview
FIELD GUIDE / START HEREOne star. Eight worlds.
Start at the Sun or choose a planet to follow it. Drag to orbit the target and pinch or scroll to zoom. The selection list works with a keyboard.
NASA solar guide ↗Explore the planets
01 / Rocky planet
02 / Rocky planetVenus
Sulfuric acid clouds conceal a rocky surface beneath a dense carbon dioxide atmosphere.
03 / Rocky planetEarth
Liquid-water oceans and active plate tectonics continually reshape the surface.
04 / Rocky planetMars
Iron oxides color the soil. Dry channels preserve evidence of ancient flowing water.
05 / Gas giantJupiter
Cloud belts trace winds in a deep hydrogen and helium atmosphere.
06 / Gas giantSaturn
Water ice dominates the broad rings. Their gaps record gravitational interactions with moons.
07 / Ice giantUranus
Methane absorbs red light. The planet’s spin axis lies close to its orbital plane.
08 / Ice giantNeptune
High-altitude clouds and fast winds trace a dynamic, methane-bearing atmosphere.
Compare worlds
| Measure | Earth | Jupiter |
|---|---|---|
| Equatorial diameter (km) | 12,756 | 142,984 |
| Gravity (m/s²) | 9.8 | 24.79 |
| Year (Earth days) | 365.256 | 4,332.59 |
Gravity for giant planets is given at a reference atmospheric level. JPL physical parameters ↗
How orbits work
Gravity bends a planet’s forward motion around the Sun. A planet moves faster near perihelion. For a small body orbiting the Sun, Kepler’s third law relates its orbital size to its year.
From model to night sky
Planet and lunar maps adapted from Solar System Scope under CC BY 4.0. These interpretive maps combine observations and artwork. Other moons use schematic materials.
JPL planetary orbit model · Satellite orbital elements · Satellite physical parameters