Solar System
Interactive Physics Simulation — Orbital Mechanics & Planetary Motion
What is the Solar System?
The Solar System consists of the Sun at its center and everything bound to it by gravity — 8 planets, their moons, and countless asteroids & comets. This simulation shows the planets orbiting the Sun at their realistic relative speeds.
Kepler's Laws
1. Planets orbit in ellipses with the Sun at one focus (shown as circular orbits here)
2. A planet moves faster when closer to the Sun — inner planets zip around while outer ones crawl
3. The square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its orbit size
Planets at a Glance
| Planet | Orbit (AU) | Period | Diam. (km) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 0.39 | 88 d | 4,879 | |
| Venus | 0.72 | 225 d | 12,104 | |
| Earth | 1.00 | 365 d | 12,756 | |
| Mars | 1.52 | 687 d | 6,792 | |
| Jupiter | 5.20 | 11.9 yr | 142,984 | |
| Saturn | 9.54 | 29.5 yr | 120,536 | |
| Uranus | 19.19 | 84 yr | 51,118 | |
| Neptune | 30.07 | 165 yr | 49,528 |
Try This
• Click any planet to see its details
• Speed up to see outer planets complete their slow orbits
• Saturn has its iconic rings drawn around it
• Inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) orbit much faster than outer ones
• Toggle Orbits to show/hide orbital paths
About This Physics Simulation
Interactive solar system simulation with realistic orbital speeds, planet sizes, and Saturn's rings. Click any planet for details.