Mercury
Terrestrial planet
- Distance from Sun
- 57.9 million km
- Length of day
- 176 Earth days
- Length of year
- 88 Earth days
Interactive 3D Solar System
The solar system, alive in 3D.
Drag, zoom, and explore a living model of our planetary neighbourhood. Every world rotates, follows an accelerated orbit around the Sun, and opens into its story when selected.
Enter the 3D system8 planets360° cameraLive motion
Building the solar system
Real 3D · accelerated · not to scale
Drag to orbit the camera · scroll or pinch to zoom · select a planet for its story
Educational simulation: orbital motion is accelerated and distances and planet sizes are compressed for exploration. Planet order and relative orbital speed are preserved.
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Navigate the planets
Swipe on mobile, scroll on desktop, or use the controls. Select any planet to open its full story and essential facts.
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Planet surface maps: Solar System Scope, CC BY 4.0, based on NASA imagery and elevation data. Space imagery: NASA/ESA Hubble. Meteor image: Preston Dyches/NASA. Comet image: E. Kolmhofer and H. Raab, CC BY-SA 3.0, via NASA.
Solar system overview
Planet facts at a glance
The inner four are rocky terrestrial planets. Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants, while Uranus and Neptune are ice giants.
Venus
Terrestrial planet
- Distance from Sun
- 108.2 million km
- Length of day
- 243 Earth days
- Length of year
- 225 Earth days
Earth
Terrestrial planet
- Distance from Sun
- 149.6 million km
- Length of day
- 23.9 hours
- Length of year
- 365.25 days
Mars
Terrestrial planet
- Distance from Sun
- 227.9 million km
- Length of day
- 24.6 hours
- Length of year
- 687 Earth days
Jupiter
Gas giant
- Distance from Sun
- 778.5 million km
- Length of day
- 9.9 hours
- Length of year
- 11.86 Earth years
Saturn
Gas giant
- Distance from Sun
- 1.4 billion km
- Length of day
- 10.7 hours
- Length of year
- 29.4 Earth years
Uranus
Ice giant
- Distance from Sun
- 2.9 billion km
- Length of day
- About 17 hours
- Length of year
- 84 Earth years
Neptune
Ice giant
- Distance from Sun
- 4.5 billion km
- Length of day
- About 16 hours
- Length of year
- 165 Earth years
Planet classifications and core facts are based on the current NASA Science planets overview. Distances are rounded average distances from the Sun.
Quick answers
Questions about the planets
Clear answers to the questions people ask most often about our solar system.
How many planets are in our solar system?
There are eight officially recognised planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Why is Pluto not included as a planet?
The International Astronomical Union classified Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. It is an important world, but it is not one of the solar system's eight planets.
Which is the hottest planet?
Venus is the hottest planet, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun. Venus has a dense atmosphere that traps heat through a runaway greenhouse effect.
Which is the largest planet?
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It is about eleven times wider than Earth.
What is the difference between rocky and giant planets?
Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are rocky terrestrial planets with solid surfaces. Jupiter and Saturn are gas giants. Uranus and Neptune are ice giants.