A Solar System category built around live data
Planets & Solar System brings SpaceTracker.live’s planetary tools into one coherent section without replacing the pages that already work. The category combines a new live Solar System model with current position and distance tables, while continuing to link to observer-focused tools such as Planets Visible Tonight, Planet Near the Moon and the Planetary Events Calendar. This separation matters because “where is Mars in the Solar System?” and “can I see Mars from my location tonight?” are different questions and require different calculations.
The new pages use a shared data layer so the position shown in the 3D model is consistent with the figures in the tables. The source is NASA/JPL Horizons, a professional ephemeris system used for Solar System geometry. When live ephemeris data is unavailable, SpaceTracker.live reports that state instead of fabricating a position.
Start with Solar System Live
Solar System Live is the visual centre of this category. It places Mercury through Neptune around the Sun using heliocentric ecliptic state vectors for the selected date and time. You can rotate the scene, pinch or scroll to zoom, select a planet, switch to a top-down view, hide labels or orbit guides, and step the epoch backward or forward. A selected planet displays its current Sun distance, Earth distance, orbital speed and heliocentric longitude.
Two display modes solve a basic visualization problem. The real Solar System is too large to show conveniently at true scale while keeping the planets visible. Explore mode compresses radial distance so the entire system is easy to navigate; Orbit Scale uses a much more direct distance scale. In both modes, planet sphere diameters are deliberately enlarged. The interface states this clearly so a useful visualization is not mistaken for a literal scale model.
MercuryUse the data pages when you need numbers
Planet Positions Today is designed for readers who want coordinates and measurements rather than only a visual model. It lists heliocentric longitude and latitude, distance from the Sun, distance from Earth and current heliocentric speed. Planet Distance from Earth focuses on the changing separation between our planet and the other worlds, including kilometres, astronomical units and approximate light-travel time. Planet Distance from the Sun shows each world’s instantaneous heliocentric distance instead of a textbook average.
These values change for physical reasons. The planets have different orbital periods, eccentricities and speeds, so their geometry is always evolving. Earth can overtake an outer planet, Venus can move from one side of the Sun to the other, and the distance to Mars can differ dramatically between favourable and unfavourable approaches.
Connect geometry with the sky you actually see
A heliocentric diagram does not by itself tell you whether a planet is above your local horizon after sunset. For that question, use Planets Visible Tonight. The existing sky tool adds observer location, darkness and altitude context. Planet Near the Moon answers another common observing question by identifying close apparent pairings in the sky. The Planetary Events Calendar provides a planning view for conjunctions, oppositions and other notable events.
Keeping these tools connected through internal links gives each page a clear purpose and avoids creating multiple thin pages that answer the same query. It also means existing SpaceTracker.live URLs stay intact.
EarthAccuracy, scale and imagery
The numerical geometry is sourced from JPL Horizons. The visual scene is a web renderer, not a spacecraft navigation display. Orbit lines are orientation guides, globe sizes are enhanced for readability and textures are reference imagery rather than live cloud photography. Those distinctions are shown directly on the tool because a high-quality astronomy visual should explain both what is accurate and what has been adjusted for presentation.
For the most useful experience, open Solar System Live on a modern browser with WebGL enabled, select Earth or another planet, then compare the same date in the numerical tables. The values and the scene are designed to describe the same epoch.
A guided route through the eight worlds
Begin with Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars to see how rocky planets differ. Their surfaces, atmospheres and temperatures tell separate stories even though they share the inner Solar System. The Solar System Planets guide introduces each world; the live model then lets you locate it relative to Earth and the Sun at the displayed epoch.
Next compare Jupiter and Saturn, whose broad gas envelopes and moon systems reveal a different planetary class. Uranus and Neptune are more distant ice giants. Use Planet Positions Today to check the current heliocentric longitude for all eight, then open the distance tables to see why the order of the planets does not determine their separation from Earth at any one moment.
JupiterInterpreting a diagram before using the numbers
A visual orbit is a map of geometry, not a telescope view. A heliocentric scene shows the Sun as the origin; the planet you see near Earth on screen could still be below your local horizon. Planets Visible Tonight uses observer location and time, while the 3D Solar System Live scene answers where the planets are around the Sun. These different viewpoints work together when planning an observation.
A long astronomical distance is easier to compare in astronomical units. One AU represents roughly the mean Earth–Sun separation, about 149.6 million kilometres. The Planet Distance from Earth page converts a changing Earth-to-planet vector into AU, kilometres and light-travel time, while Planet Distance from Sun uses each planet’s heliocentric vector. NASA’s cosmic distances explainer provides more context for the units.
Why planets appear to change position and brightness
Mercury and Venus orbit inside Earth’s path. Their changing separation from the Sun as seen from Earth affects when they can appear in the morning or evening sky. Mars can become much more prominent near opposition, when Earth passes between Mars and the Sun. A planet’s apparent brightness also depends on distance, size and reflectivity, so the nearest body is not necessarily the brightest sight.
The planetary events calendar offers dates worth checking, but a calendar event alone never guarantees visibility. Local horizon, daylight, atmospheric conditions and the angular distance from the Sun still matter. From this category, move between event planning, the current JPL geometry and the observing page to build a complete picture without treating an orbit graphic as a sky chart.
Which page answers which question?
| Your question | Best page |
|---|---|
| I want the position of each planet now | Planet Positions Today |
| How far is a planet from Earth? | Distance from Earth |
| How far is a planet from the Sun? | Distance from the Sun |
| Explore it in 3D and move the date | Solar System Live |
| Which planets can I see tonight? | Planets Visible Tonight |
| What is that bright object near the Moon? | Planet Near the Moon |
| When is the next opposition or conjunction? | Planetary Events Calendar |
| Facts about each planet | Solar System Planets |
How long does each planet take to return to the same place?
| Planet | Orbital year | Synodic period | Mean orbital speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 0.241 yr | 115.9 days | 47.4 km/s |
| Venus | 0.615 yr | 583.9 days (about 19 months) | 35.0 km/s |
| Mars | 1.881 yr | 779.9 days (about 26 months) | 24.1 km/s |
| Jupiter | 11.86 yr | 398.9 days | 13.1 km/s |
| Saturn | 29.46 yr | 378.1 days | 9.7 km/s |
| Uranus | 84.01 yr | 369.7 days | 6.8 km/s |
| Neptune | 164.8 yr | 367.5 days | 5.4 km/s |
The synodic period is longer than the orbital year for every planet because Earth is also moving. Mars, for instance, orbits in 1.88 years, but oppositions occur only every 26 months or so as Earth catches up with it.
Content last reviewed: 30 October 2026. Reference values are rounded; live figures in the tool above always take priority.
Related tools & authoritative sources
Continue from Solar System geometry to observing tools, calculators and primary astronomy references.
On SpaceTracker.live
Solar System Live →Planet Positions Today →Planet Distance from Earth →Planet Distance from Sun →Planets Visible Tonight →Planet Near the Moon →Planetary Events Calendar →Astronomy Space Calculators →Primary external references
NASA/JPL Horizons ↗JPL Horizons API documentation ↗NASA Solar System Exploration ↗NASA Planetary Fact Sheet ↗External sources open in a new tab. SpaceTracker.live remains an independent educational interface.
Frequently asked questions
Are the planet positions on SpaceTracker.live real?
The live Solar System and current position tables use heliocentric ecliptic state vectors requested from NASA/JPL Horizons. SpaceTracker.live does not invent planet coordinates when the source is unavailable.
Why are planets shown larger than their true scale?
Planet diameters are visually enlarged so they remain visible on a phone or laptop. Explore mode also compresses the huge distances between planets; the page labels these display choices clearly.
Can I see which planets are visible from my location?
Yes. Use the existing Planets Visible Tonight tool for observer-specific visibility, rise and set context, while this category focuses on Solar System geometry and live planetary data.
Does this category replace existing SpaceTracker.live planet pages?
No. Existing URLs remain unchanged and are linked into the new category so there is no duplicate page or broken route.