Compare all eight planets at once. Inner planets complete many revolutions while outer planets barely move. Select a planet for its distance, period and speed; switch between compressed spacing and linear AU spacing to expose the enormous outer-system scale.
• A real-time 3D scene with 5 inspectable parts (Central Sun, Rocky inner worlds, Giant outer worlds, Orbital spacing, Selected-planet guide), with home view, focus-selected-part, auto-rotate, expand, instrument-cover and hide-labels scene tools, plus a model response curve beneath the scene. • Experiment controls: Inspect planet (Mercury / Venus / Earth / Mars / Jupiter / Saturn / Uranus / Neptune); Years per animation second (0.01-1 yr/s); Distance display (Compressed orbit spacing / Linear astronomical units); pause/resume, 0.1 s and 1 s single-step buttons, four playback speeds and a restart button. • Live readouts: Elapsed model years; Orbital radius; Orbital period; Circular speed; Planet mass; Model orbital longitude. • A Geometry & measurements tab with a parameter-comparison chart, a live-measurements chart, the model equations and snapshot readouts. • An Experiments tab with 3 guided presets (Inner orbital clock; Outer scale; Compression comparison) and a Model verification bench that runs independent fresh models, plus a timestamped event log and a copyable trial report. • A Learn & assess tab with guided lessons, a knowledge-check quiz with reset and a written model-scope statement linking to a technical reference.
Circular two-body comparison: P²=a³ (years, AU) θ=θ0+2πt/P; v≈29.7847/√a km/s Each planet advances with its own period; Sun mass fixed Compressed display radius ∝ log(1+2a)
Coplanar circular orbits, no mutual perturbations, moons, eccentricity or ephemeris dates. Initial longitudes are chosen for readability and are not actual sky positions. Body radii enlarged independently. Values are representative rounded Solar System parameters.
No. The model always computes periods using physical semimajor axes.
No. Starting phases are schematic and the model assumes circular orbits.
Coplanar circular orbits, no mutual perturbations, moons, eccentricity or ephemeris dates. Initial longitudes are chosen for readability and are not actual sky positions. Body radii enlarged independently. Values are representative rounded Solar System parameters.