3D Simulator: Revolutions of the Planets

Using the Astronoo Interactive Simulator

With this simulator, you will see the revolution of the planets from all angles and their alignment in the solar system as if you were in a spaceship. Initially, you are "above" the Solar System (view from the north celestial pole), and the time progression is set to 10 days per second, allowing you to see the planets rotating in their orbits. However, you can move forward in time or go back using the top buttons. You can also zoom in (top right) within the solar system while the planets continue to rotate.

With the arrows at the bottom right, you can rotate the orbital planes of the planets, and if you want more or less information or to see more or fewer orbits, use the buttons at the bottom left. You will notice that the planets have variable speeds; they follow Kepler's law of areas (Johannes Kepler, 1571-1630). As they approach perihelion (the point closest to the Sun), the planets accelerate, and as they approach aphelion (the point farthest from the Sun), they slow down. To see the distances (in millions of km), click on the aphelion/perihelion button.

To see the asteroid belt, the habitable zone, the Kuiper belt, and the dwarf planets, click on the "dwarf planets" button.

A mouse click in the simulator allows you to reorient the solar system and get the desired view while the planets continue to rotate around the Sun. Click again to freeze the view and zoom in. Be aware that the closer the planets are to you, the larger they appear.

The Revolution of the Planets

The formulas used in the simulator take into account the respective passages of the planets at their perihelia, the inclinations and eccentricities of the orbits, the arguments of perihelion, the speeds, and the ascending nodes of the planets. The reference data is sourced from Wikipedia.

All objects in the solar system have the same direction of revolution around the Sun. This direction of revolution of the planets around the Sun, known as prograde, is the same as the direction of rotation of the Sun and the planets themselves (except for Venus and Uranus). The prograde direction is counterclockwise when viewed from the North Pole of the system, i.e., from a "top" view of the ecliptic plane.