Our Solar System

As I mentioned on my Astronomy Main Page,
many links here are out of date.

The Solar System

More Solar System pages:

• The Sun
• Mercury
• Venus
• Earth
• The Moon
• Mars
• Jupiter
• Saturn
• Uranus
• Neptune
• Pluto
• Minor Objects:
  Asteroids & Comets
• Meteors, Meteorites, & Impacts
• Interplanetary Space / Space Physics

Some Related Pages

• The Sun
• Related Sciences
• Atmospheric Science
• Geology
• News

Solar System Overview

These are websites with information about the whole Solar System. Many have pages about individual planets. Some just have simple overviews.

Note: above are pages for each planet with more links focused particularly on those planets. Also, following this section below is a second section with links about specialized topics in planetary science, such as planetary geology.

• The Nine Planets by Bill Arnet (@ SEDS)
• Views of the Solar System By Calvin J. Hamilton. (Note: He utilizes some resources available at the NSSDC and JPL websites.)
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
• NASA - JPL Solar System
• Welcome to the Planets
• JPL Solar System Dynamics
  Includes data tables of solar system objects and orbits.
• JPL Solar System Simulator online.
• National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC)
• Planetary Sciences at the NSSDC
• Planetary Fact Sheets
• Lessons Page (a quick index page)
• Solar System @ Solstation.Com
• BBC Space
• Solar System
• Discovery Channel-- Space Guide
  The website includes news, pictures, special features, and a Planets and Asteroids section.
• Exploring the Solar System The New York Times
• National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory Greenwhich (UK)
• Exploring the Planets - Gallery Entrance @ National Air & Space Museum (Smithsonian Inst.)
• Exploring the Planets - Comparing the Planets
• Air and Space Links to Online Resources
• Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy- Bitesize Tour of the Solar System
• Astronomy: the guide to the universe Maertens Annemie, Blankenberge, Belgium. Includes an informative, illustrated "trip" through the Solar System.
• StarDate Online | Solar System Guide [ also in Spanish] University of Texas McDonald Observatory.
• Introduction to the Solar System @ MIRA's Field Trips to the Stars / Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy. High school level.
• Orrey @ Peoria Astronomical Society
  Includes notes about the Sun and Planets.
• Interactive Solar System @ NASA MSFC Liftoff / Space Academy
• SONY ExploraScience Plaza Cool
  In English, Japanese and Chinese.
• Solar System Simulation, online version of the Solar System Simulation downloadable program at the Tokyo Science Museum. You can view how the Solar System looks from any perspective, including the surfaces of the planets. You can let it run in real time or set the date.
• Also see their World of Astro Phenomena for eclipses, comets and meteor showers.
• Spaced Out - Meet the Neighbors
  Based on a radio program about the Solar System Spaced Out, on Australian Broadcasting Corp.
• DSN Solar System Menu
• Solar System articles @ Suite101.Com
• Stargazer Online -- The Solar System by Richard Bell
• Solar Voyager
  A basic solar system guide, with some space art.
• The Planets @ The Mars Hotel
• The Solar System Collaboratory University of Colorado.
• Space Scene.com
• Resources for Exploring the Solar System Compiled by Andrew Fraknoi, Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Suggested books and articles.
• Also see Solar Systems Pictures on the Photo Page.

Overviews in Other Languages

• Chinese
• Astronomy Bar - Solar System
• Dutch
• De Negen Planeten
• French
• Le Système Solaire .
• Centre de données planétaires - IAS .
• Les Neuf Planètes Translation of The Nine Planets in French. @ Société d'Astronomie, Montréal, Canada.
• Astronomag
• German
• DLR -Institut für Weltraumsensorik und Planetenerkundung Berlin
• Mars Pathfinder in German
• Regional Planetary Image Facility
• Unser Sonnensystem , Marco Schwerdtfeger, Gym. 'OvG' Magdeburg, Germany.
• The Nine Planets - Deutsche Übersetzung
• Senckenbergmuseum Sonnensystem
• Hebrew
• Blossoms of Science Home Page Jordan Valley Academic College, Israel.
• Italian
• The Nine Planets - Versione Italiana
• Padua Observatory
• Citadella Di Scienze Della Natura - Osservatorio G.V. Schiaparelli
• Sistema Solare
• Japanese
• The Planetary Society of Japan [ “ú–{˜f�¯‹¦‰ï ]
  Information about the solar system and illustrated descriptions of major planetary missions. Also news about current missions and more Japanese links.
• More Japanese astronomy links.
• Korean
• Starjoy
• Starjoy for Kids - Solar System
• Spanish
• StarDate Online | Solar System Guide in Spanish University of Texas McDonald Observatory.
• Also see the Astronomy in Other Languages Page, with a broader range of topics.

Useful websites with a broader focus

• Windows to the Universe
• NASA Spacelink (which can be searched)
• Spacelink - Our Solar System
• Spacelink - Planetary Probes
• BBC Space
• StarDate Online
• Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer at Cornell University.
  Includes some notes and links.
• Astronomy Today
• Scholastic - Research Tools - Space
• Astronomag in French.
• Space News International Belgium
• Le Système solaire
• Padua Observatory (Italy):
• Astronomy for All - Advanced Topics, see The Solar System
• Astronomy Picture of the Day
• To general astronomy links page.

Some College Course Websites

• Introductory Astronomy Supplemental Pages by Kristen and Scott Miller. Univ. of Maryland
• Astronomy 161: The Solar System (Univ. of Tenn.)
  A good introductory college-level site.
• ASTR 103 - Astronomy Supplement Text Contents (George Mason University)
• Astronomy 100 at Indiana University Northwest: The Solar System
  Introductory astronomy course.
• ASP 1010 Intro. to Astronomy: The Solar System Univ. of Colorado
  The lecture notes mostly review the topics for each class, although there are more in depth discussions for some topics.
• Astronomy 121 - Introduction to the Solar System Jim Imamura, Univ. of Oregon.
• Astronomy 121 - Introduction to the Solar System Davison E. Soper Univ. of Oregon.
• Planetary Geology for Teachers Idaho State University.
• Planetary Geology by Joseph Cain at Flordia State University
• Space Resources-Univ. of Wisconsin
• How to Build a Habitable Planet, Geological Sciences 265 - 1998 Univ. of Michigan
• The Global Change Project Univ. of Michigan.
• Evolution of the Solar System
• The Cosmic Journey textbook by William K. Hartmann and Chris Impey.
  See chapters 6 - 14.
• Relative Age Dating of Planetary Surfaces
  University of Hawaii at Hilo Physics and Astronomy Dept. online computer lab project. This lab in particular is about trying to date surface feature on Mars.

School level webpages

• Astronomy for Kids - The Planets
• Space and Astronomy @ Athena, Earth and Space Science for K-12
• Eyes on the Sky, Feet on the Ground (grade school level)
• The Solar System
• The Earth's Moon
• Unser Sonnensystem (in German), Marco Schwerdtfeger, Gym. 'OvG' Magdeburg, Germany.

Websites for Younger Students

• The Nine Planets - For Kids!!! (Thanks to Lady Rigel for giving me this link.)
• Let's Explore the Nine Planets
• Brief Tour of the Universe
• StarChild: A learning center for young astronomers (NASA)
• Out in Space Andrew McGann.
• Arty the part time Astronaut
  Requires Shockwave. A brief interactive tour of the Solar System, with some games and quizzes.

• Also see Astronomy for Young Minds




Back to top of page.

Solar System -- Specialized Websites

These websites are focused on specific aspects of the Solar System or planetary science research.

• NASA or NASA affiliated pages:
• Spacelink - Our Solar System
  Links to some NASA educational pages and further links.
• National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) GSFC
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• NASA - JPL Solar System
• JPL Solar System Dynamics
• Earth Science and Solar System Exploration Division @ NASA JSC
• Planetary Materials Curation at NASA JSC
• LPI Lunar and Planetary Institute Home Page--- Index,
• LPI Slide Sets, including A Spacecraft Tour of the Solar System
• The Satellites of the Outer Planets
• 3-D Tour of the Solar System
• NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (New York City)
• GISS Planetary Atmospheres Research
• Ringed Planets Ames Research Center
• Planetary Remote Sensing, part of Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation & Analysis @ Code 935, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
• NASA Planetary Science Research Discoveries
  A small set of very well written articles by scientists in the field (I recommend looking).
• NASA HQ's Exploration of the Solar System Site
• The Great Magnet, The Earth, which includes Planetary Magnetism. NASA GSFC.
• NASA History Office
• Evolution of the Solar System SP-345. 1976.
  Mathematical.


• Planetary Geology a chapter from Manual of Remote Sensing by James Bell (Cornell), Bruce Campbell (Smithsonian), and Mark S. Robinson (USGS). @ James Bell's Homepage.
• CfA Planetary Sciences Division see especially for minor planet data
• University of Florida Planetary Radio Astronomy
• Arecibo Planetary Radar
• Planetary Geology at Arizona State University
• Planetary Geology of Arizona Educational Guidebook
• Arizona State University Planetary Exploration
• ASU Thermal Emission Laboratory Infrared spectroscopy of minerals, includes Mars meteorite information.
• The Planetary Web @ University College London (UK).
• MIT Microwave Subnode Planetary Data System Home Page
• Planet Storm Channel 4 (UK)
  Weather on Earth and other planets.
• Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology Cologne, Germany (in English and German)
• Physics of Extraterrestrial Atmospheres
• An Introduction to Planetary Atmospheres by Kurt Retherford. Johns Hopkins Univ. College level.
• Planetary Formation and Our Solar System by Aki Roberge.
  Based on a seminar in May 1997. Johns Hopkins Univ. Note, there are several pages that follow about the planets after formation. They briefly address: Internal Structure, Tectonics, Volcanism, Cratering, and Life.
• Savage Earth PBS-WNET TV program, July 1998. Includes:
• Volcanoes on Other Planets by Kathy Svitil
• How Volcanoes Work Dr. Vic Camp, Department of Geological Sciences, San Diego State University. Includes a section on volcanism on other planets.
• Volcano World
• Volcanoes of Other Worlds
• American Geophysical Union: Science for Everyone
• Planetary Sciences
• Space Sciences
• U.S. Geological Survey
• USGS Flagstaff Solar System Browser
  Has some basic physical data and some interesting picture links.
• Planetary Nomenclature
• USGS Astrogeology Program
• The Solar System
• Origin Of Early Planetary Atmospheres J. Berle.
• The Planetary Society
• How to Build a Habitable Planet, Geological Sciences 265 - 1998 Univ. of Michigan
• Making our WORLD course project for 1996.
• Our Sun's Planets by Anu Gupta & Amit Kalaria
• Find That Planet


• For links about observing Solar System objects please see the The Solar System section of the Observing the Sky Page.


More Advanced:

• An Integrated Strategy for Planetary Sciences -- 1995 - 2010 National Academy of Sciences
• Planetary Geology by Joseph Cain at Flordia State University
• Space Resources-Univ. of Wisconsin
• McDonell Center for Space Science Research Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO.
• Comparative Aeronomy in the Solar System BU
• ICARUS, International Journal of Solar System Studies
• Planetary Astronomy directory @ The WWW Virtual Library: Astronomy and Astrophysics
• West's Geology Directory - Planetary Geology link site

Back to top of page.