METHOD & TRANSPARENCY
What the atlas actually shows
The Solar System is too vast to fit on a screen while keeping planets visible. Solar Atlas therefore offers three complementary representations, each clearly identified.
Three modes, three perspectives
Artistic
The main exploration view. Distances are greatly compressed and diameters enlarged so that every world remains visible and selectable.
Use it to travel and discover.Sizes
Diameters are compared with one another. Spacing between bodies is not representative, and the smallest bodies remain slightly enlarged for readability.
Use it to compare worlds.Distances
Average distances from the Sun are proportional to one another. Diameters also follow their true ratios, while glowing markers are deliberately enlarged to help locate objects.
Use it to appreciate the vastness of space.ORBITAL MODEL
Positions calculated for the chosen date
From Mercury to Neptune, heliocentric positions are calculated using low-precision Keplerian elements published by JPL Solar System Dynamics, referenced to epoch J2000. The calculation uses semi-major axis, eccentricity, inclination, perihelion and ascending node. The Moon and Pluto retain simplified educational models here.
CLOSE-UP VIEWS
Enlarged celestial bodies
When opened, a celestial body is isolated and enlarged so you can observe its surface. Its size and distance from the viewer no longer represent the Solar System's scale.
ROUNDED VALUES
Useful learning reference points
Displayed values are rounded to make them easier to remember. Masses, diameters, temperatures and periods may differ slightly depending on measurement conventions or dates.
UPDATE
2026 scientific reference edition
This reference edition was reviewed and organised in 2026. An update date identifies the site's content edition, not a photograph's date or a NASA certification.
What the chosen date means
The calendar moves the eight planets using a scientific approximation suitable for educational visualisation from 1900 to 2100. It shows the general geometry of the Solar System on a chosen date, but does not replace an observing ephemeris or spacecraft trajectory calculation. JPL Horizons remains the reference for professional precision.
ASTEROID BELT
Between Mars and Jupiter
The point cloud shows the region where many asteroids orbit, mainly between about 2.1 and 3.3 AU. The points are visual markers, not individual catalogued objects.
KUIPER BELT
Beyond Neptune
The diffuse region roughly 30–50 AU from the Sun represents thousands of small icy worlds. Pluto belongs to this region and is shown as a dwarf planet under the International Astronomical Union's 2006 definition.
Main sources
Explanations are adapted for educational use. To explore further or check a value, consult the reference organisations and catalogues:
- NASA Science — Solar System ExplorationFact sheets about planets, missions and phenomena.
- JPL Solar System DynamicsKeplerian elements and the method for calculating approximate positions.
- JPL HorizonsReference ephemerides — not used here as live positions.
- International Astronomical UnionDefinitions and classification of celestial bodies.
- NASA Science — PlutoPhysical data, New Horizons exploration and the Kuiper Belt.
- NASA / USGS — Ganymede mosaicVoyager and Galileo images used for the texture and terrain of Jupiter's largest moon.
- NASA / JPL-Caltech — Titan mosaicGlobal Cassini map used for the texture of Saturn's largest moon.
- Solar System ScopePlanetary textures released under CC BY 4.0.