Interactive experiment
Scale of the Solar System
A small experiment in feeling a very large distance.
Mostly, it’s space.
Start with Earth. Scroll a little. Keep scrolling. The next world takes longer to arrive than you might expect.
This interactive model uses one linear scale for the sizes of worlds and the distances between them. The empty space is part of the experience: a way to feel a distance that’s difficult to get from a diagram.
It works on phones, tablets and desktop browsers. Explore online, or download a copy to host yourself.
Behind the project
The app was an experiment in building with AI. Its code and original text were authored with GPT-6 Astra; planetary imagery has its own source credits. The source repository includes the model’s assumptions, image attributions and implementation notes.