InteractiveNASA · JPL-Caltech

NASA's Eyes

A family of free, real-time visualization apps from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that let you fly through the Solar System, follow exoplanets, track asteroids and watch Earth's climate systems.

Interactive · real-time · NASA/JPL-Caltech

Type
Real-time visualization suite
Developer
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Apps
Solar System, Exoplanets, Asteroids, Earth
Data
Real mission trajectories, ephemerides and climate data
Access
Web app at eyes.nasa.gov
Cost
Free

A real-time Solar System in the browser

NASA/JPL-Caltech
Screenshot of NASA's Eyes on the Solar System visualization
A screenshot of Eyes on the Solar System, the JPL tool that places spacecraft and planets on their real trajectories. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

A window into NASA's data

NASA's Eyes is a set of browser-based visualizations built by JPL. Instead of static diagrams, the apps calculate the current positions of planets and spacecraft from the same ephemerides and mission telemetry NASA itself uses, so what you see reflects where things really are right now.

The suite is designed for everyone: students can watch a rover land, enthusiasts can ride along with a spacecraft, and teachers can bring live mission data into the classroom.

The apps

  • Eyes on the Solar System: fly through the Solar System and follow NASA spacecraft on their real trajectories.
  • Eyes on Exoplanets: explore thousands of confirmed worlds beyond the Solar System, visualized by orbit, size and temperature.
  • Eyes on Asteroids: track near-Earth asteroids and comets as they move through space.
  • Eyes on the Earth: watch Earth's climate, oceans, ice and atmosphere through satellite data.

Why it matters

NASA's Eyes turns raw mission data into something you can explore directly. It is also a living archive: when a spacecraft changes course, flies past a planet or lands, the apps reflect the updated trajectory. For public engagement and education, it is one of the most direct ways to see NASA's missions as they are happening.

Open eyes.nasa.gov, pick an app, and it runs in your browser.

Worth knowing

  • The apps use the same ephemerides NASA uses to fly its missions.

  • Eyes on Exoplanets visualizes thousands of confirmed worlds.

  • Everything runs in a browser, for free.

Recommended videos

  • Learning How To Navigate Eyes on the Solar System NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • How to Use NASA's Eyes on Exoplanets NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Videos are embedded from YouTube and load only when you open a card.