Eyes on the Solar System

Eyes on the Solar System is NASA/JPL's browser-based 3D simulation for exploring solar-system objects and past, present, and future NASA missions.

What is Eyes on the Solar System?

Eyes on the Solar System offers the rare chance to treat the whole neighborhood of the Sun as a place you can wander around. NASA/JPL's 3D experience brings planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and spacecraft into one view, then lets time do some of the heavy lifting. You can explore a solar system from 1950 through 2050 instead of keeping every mission in a separate mental filing cabinet. The appeal is not just the scale; it is the chance to make a mission feel located. A spacecraft stops being a distant headline when it has a route, nearby worlds, and a moment in time. Start with a mission or object you already recognize, then give yourself permission to follow the next interesting orbit. Space is large, but a good map knows how to make large feel inviting.

What you can do there

• Explore solar-system objects
• Follow NASA missions
• Move through time

Why we picked it

It turns mission data and a very large subject into something that can be explored rather than merely read about. The time range gives it a satisfying historical and forward-looking sweep without requiring a telescope or a physics degree.

How to get the most from it

Begin with a planet, moon, asteroid, comet, or familiar NASA mission, then move through the surrounding scene and change the time when you want more context. Give the 3D app a little breathing room rather than trying to absorb the whole solar system at once.

Good to know

The application itself was not run for this profile. Its navigation, time controls, mission playback, audio, rendering performance, browser support, bandwidth needs, and accessibility behavior should be checked directly before relying on them.

Who made it, and when?

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the credited creator or organization. A documented update was recorded April 29, 2026.