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The Solar System as an interactive 3D model
Fly through the Solar System: from Mercury to Neptune, to 43 moons, to space probes, comets and on to the edge of the universe. Free, no sign-up, right in your browser.
What the model can do
- Planets, dwarf planets, moons, the asteroid belt and rings with real photos and textures
- Time travel: set any date from 1900 to 2100 and see the planets where they were or will be
- Space probes and comets on their real orbits, from Voyager to the James Webb Space Telescope
- Guided tours with a narrator through the most exciting places
- Surface maps of the Moon, Mars, the moons of Jupiter and more
- “Tonight”: what can you see in the sky over Switzerland? Planets, the Moon, meteors
- Cosmos mode: nearby stars, the Milky Way, galaxies and the observable universe
- Quiz, games and badges
How to use the model
- Drag with the mouse to rotate. Mouse wheel to zoom. Click on a body to open its fact file and fly there.
- On a phone: one finger rotates, two fingers zoom. The control bar at the bottom can be folded away and back.
- Use “Jump to…” to reach any planet or moon directly.
The Solar System at true scale
In the model, sizes and distances are adjusted, otherwise you could hardly see anything. This is what the Solar System would look like if the Sun were a ball one metre across:
| Planet | Size | Distance from the Sun |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 3.5 mm | 42 m |
| Venus | 8.7 mm | 78 m |
| Earth | 9.2 mm | 108 m |
| Mars | 4.9 mm | 164 m |
| Jupiter | 10.1 cm | 560 m |
| Saturn | 8.4 cm | 1 km |
| Uranus | 3.6 cm | 2.1 km |
| Neptune | 3.5 cm | 3.2 km |
The Earth would be a ball of 9.2 mm, 108 m from the Sun. Neptune would be 3.2 km away. Scaled-down models like this exist as planet trails, for example on the Uetliberg near Zurich. In the 3D model you can try the planet trail on the map of Switzerland under “Explore”.
Frequently asked questions about the 3D model
What is an interactive Solar System model?
A model in your browser in which you move the camera freely: you rotate, zoom and fly to any planet, moon or space probe. A click opens the fact file.
Do I have to install anything or sign up?
No. The 3D model runs straight in the browser, on a computer just as on a phone. It needs neither an account nor an installation.
Does the model show the real positions of the planets?
The planets, dwarf planets, space probes and comets follow the clock: you see them where they really are on the date you choose. The time machine runs from 1900 to 2100. The moons move at a display speed.
Is the model to scale?
No. At true scale the Earth would be just a dot. The model therefore compresses sizes and distances. The table on this page shows what the Solar System really looks like when scaled down.
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