Move through time to watch the planets change position around the Sun.
Solar System Map
Live solar system map with planet positions today.
Explore where Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are around the Sun. Move through time, compare planet distances from Earth, and see why the planets visible tonight change as Earth travels through its orbit.
Closest approach
Select a planet and search range.
Opposition
Select an outer planet and search range.
Distances compressed
Planet positions are calculated locally and shown as an educational approximation.
Click a planet on the map to open its detail card and inspect distance and orbit details.
Closest approach
Find when a planet comes closest to Earth
Search around the selected moment. Results use the same local orbital model as the map, so treat them as educational estimates rather than official ephemerides.
Select a planet and search range to find its closest approach to Earth.
Opposition finder
Find when an outer planet is opposite the Sun
Opposition is when a planet appears almost opposite the Sun in Earth's sky. This usually makes outer planets easier to observe and often places them near their closest approach.
Select an outer planet to find its next opposition in the selected range.
How to read this solar system map
The Sun is placed in the center. Each orbit line shows a planet's path around the Sun, compressed for readability. The marker position shows where that planet is estimated to be at the selected moment, so the page works as a live planet position map and a simple orbit simulator.
This is different from the main Celesiq world map. The world map shows apparent subpoints on Earth; this solar system map shows heliocentric geometry, which is often the missing piece when trying to understand why Venus, Mars, Jupiter or Saturn are visible at certain times of year.
Why planet distances are compressed
Real solar system distances are too large for a practical single-screen view. If the inner planets were shown at true scale, Neptune and Pluto would sit far outside the page. This map keeps the order and approximate orbital positions, but compresses distances.
Why this helps with planet visibility
A planet's visibility depends on where Earth, the planet and the Sun sit relative to each other. When an outer planet is near opposition, for example, Earth is roughly between that planet and the Sun, which can make it visible for much of the night.
Closest approach vs opposition
Closest approach finds when a planet is nearest to Earth in space. Opposition finds when an outer planet appears opposite the Sun in our sky. These often happen near each other, but they are not always exactly the same moment because planetary orbits are elliptical and tilted.
Which planets are included?
The map includes Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. You can click a planet for a detail card, change the selected moment, or drag a planet along its orbit to move the entire solar system view through time.
Accuracy note
The map uses local orbital calculations so it stays fast and works without external ephemeris calls. It is suitable for understanding the layout of the solar system, but exact scientific work should be checked against specialist ephemerides. The project includes a maintenance check that can compare these positions with JPL Horizons reference vectors.
Frequently asked questions
What is a solar system map?
A solar system map shows the Sun and planets in their orbits. This page focuses on the layout of the solar system from above, while the main Celesiq map focuses on where objects appear over Earth.
Can I see planet positions today?
Yes. Use Live now to see approximate planet positions today, or choose a different moment to watch how the planets move around the Sun over days, months and years.
Why are the planet orbits not shown at true scale?
True solar system distances are too large for a useful page view. The map compresses orbit distances so all planets remain visible, while still showing their order and approximate geometry around the Sun.
What does opposition mean?
Opposition happens when an outer planet appears nearly opposite the Sun in Earth's sky. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are often especially good targets near opposition because they can be visible for much of the night.
Is this map suitable for exact astronomy calculations?
It is best used as an educational, visual guide. The positions are calculated locally for speed and are good for understanding solar-system geometry, but official scientific work should use specialist ephemerides.
Compare this with the live world map
Use this page to understand the solar-system layout. Then open the live world map to see where the Sun, Moon, planets and spacecraft appear above Earth at the same moment.