Solar System Live Orrery
A live animated solar system showing the real current positions of all 8 planets — computed from Keplerian orbital mechanics. Mars Sol clock, solar cycle position, and planetary alignment calculator.
The Solar System Live Orrery computes the real current positions of all eight planets using Keplerian mean-motion orbital mechanics referenced to the J2000 epoch. Watch Mercury race around the Sun while Neptune barely moves. See exactly where Earth is right now in its orbit. Check the Mars Sol clock for the current time on Mars and discover when your selected planets next come into alignment.
How to Use the Solar System Orrery
- The orrery starts animated at real orbital speeds. Use the speed multiplier to accelerate — 10,000× makes the inner planets blur into rings.
- Click any planet to select it and see its orbital period, distance from the Sun, number of moons, and diameter.
- Check the Mars Sol clock for the current Martian solar time, and the Solar Cycle meter to see where we are in the Sun's 11-year activity cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are the planetary positions?
The orrery uses simplified Keplerian mean-motion — J2000 mean longitudes plus mean angular velocity. This gives positions accurate to within a few degrees for display purposes. For precise ephemeris data used in navigation or professional astronomy, NASA's HORIZONS system is the authoritative source.
What is a Mars Sol?
A Mars solar day (Sol) is 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22.663 seconds — slightly longer than an Earth day. Over time, Martian time drifts relative to Earth time. The Mars Sol clock shows the current Mean Local Solar Time on Mars as if you were standing on the prime meridian used by NASA missions.
What is Solar Cycle 25?
The Sun goes through an approximately 11-year cycle of activity, measured by sunspot count. Solar Cycle 25 began in December 2019 and is predicted to peak around mid-2025. At solar maximum, increased solar wind and electromagnetic activity affect satellite communications, power grids, and produces more frequent aurora displays.