Solar System

The Nine Planets - The Nine Planets has pages on all the planets, the moons, and some minor bodies. Each page is packed with information, photographs and in some cases sounds and videos. Also, there are useful links to additional material on each page.

Views of the Solar System - A great place find information on the Solar System. This site has a vast archive of photographs, scientific facts, text, graphics and videos. It also has statistics sections covering physical data and orbital data.

The Solar System in Pictures - A site with over 340 pictures designed give a pictorial overview of the Solar System. Additionally, there are quizzes designed to test your knowledge on the Solar System and the planets.

Astronomical Events Calendar - There's always something interesting to see in the Solar System. Nick Green, About.com guide to Space/Astronomy, has put together this useful calender of events visible from Planet Earth.

Solar System Dynamics - Want to find out the average speed of a Draconid meteor? Then this is the place for you. The JPL Solar System Dynamics site has information related to all known bodies in orbit around the sun.

JPL Solar System Simulator - The Solar System Simulator has been developed from JPL's SPACE software package, which was of a set of computer graphics programs designed to simulate spacecraft trajectories. It allows you to view any of the major bodies in the Solar System from any other, or from some space probes.

Virtual Solar System - The National Geographic Virtual Solar System allows you to take a 3D virtual tour of the sun and planets and view them in close-up. 2D version for PC & Mac. The 3D version (PC only) requires the Viscape SVR plug-in (4Mb download).

BBC 3D Tour of the Planets - Explore the Solar System in a virtual spaceship. Use your mouse to navigate to objects of interest while the spaceship's onboard computer provides information and interesting facts. Requires Shockwave 8.5, Real Player 8, and at least a 56K Internet connection.

Solar System Exploration - NASA's Solar System Exploration site has all the latest news on the planets and space missions. It also covers research and technology and the people involved. Interesting features include a history of space exploration and the reasons why we should explore the Solar System.

Jet Proplusion Laboratory - The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory is NASA's lead center for robotic exploration of the Solar System. The JPL site contains information on current and planned missions, and contains the latest stunning photographs from satellites and space probes.

Space.com - Space.com covers spaceflight news and technology. If you want to find out the schedule of launches into orbit, or find out what plans are being considered for the next generation of space shuttles, this is a site you may want to visit.

The Origin of the Solar System - How was the Solar System formed? This page from the The Spaceguard Central Node neatly summarizes current thinking. (The rest of the site concentrates on Near Earth Objects and is well worth browsing through)

Animation showing the origin of the Solar System - Most scientists think that the Solar System formed from an immense rotating cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula. This animation on the Exploring Earth site shows how the solar nebula gradually gave rise to the planets and other bodies that exist today.

Building Planets at PSI - The Planetary Science Institute (PSI) has one of the the best theoretical computer models in the world representing the processes by which dust and asteroid-like particles formed planets. This site details published results and current research in progress.

The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia - All the latest research news and information on the search for extrasolar planets. Probably a bit too advanced for homework help, but the site has lots of technical statistics and data for the real enthusiast.

PlanetQuest - "The Search for Another Earth". NASA's extrasolar planet site lives up to the high standard of all NASA sites. You'll find all the latest news and loads of useful info. And of course, there's the Current Planet Counter, standing at 107 last time I looked.

California & Carnegie Planet Search - Did you know that there are now over 100 planets of various types known to exist outside our Solar System. The California & Carnegie Planet Search site includes an almanac of all known planets plus all the latest planet research news.

HD 70642 : A Solar System like our own? - A new planerary system has recently been discovered with a large planet that is comparable to Jupiter in size and orbit. Of the 100 or so planetary systems that have been detected, this one most closely resembles our own.