Solar System Scale to Google Earth Mapping

by Carlos Ortega

Quick use guide:

The first thing you have to do after opening the file is enable macros.
The cells that you will typically be changing have a yellow color.

Enter the date and time in the "rbitas" tab. According to the JPL documentation, the data are good betw
Enter the longitude and latitude you want for the Sun on Google Earth, the scale you want to use, the nam
in your hard disk, and click the "Generar modelo 3D" button in the "Google Earth" tab.
Open the KML file in Google Earth and enjoy exploring this solar system model.

About the coordinate system:

The Excel file calculates the positions in a 3D (x,y,z) coordinate system. The export to Google Earth is on
The x coordinate points directly to the East in Google Earth. In space, that direction is the vernal equinox
The (x,y) plane is that of the ecliptic.

More details:

rbitas tab:
You enter the date and time in yellow cells K2 to K7.
The "Hoy" button selects today's date, but does not change the time of the day.
There are three quick viewers on the right side to see the positions of planets on that date and time: inne
(plus Pluto), Earth's Moon.
The left-right arrow buttons on cells L6 and L7 change the date backwards and forward in the number of
yellow cell N7.
The positions of the planets seem to be very good when compared with astronomy software such as Star
was taken from another JPL page and I had some trouble with using that data. As a result, the Moon's pos
by 5 or 7 degrees, but it is very close to its real position in most of the cases.

Google Earth tab:

You enter the location you want for the scaled version of the Sun on Google Earth in yellow cells R6 and
You enter the scale you want for your solar system model in yellow cell D32.
You enter the file name and disk location where you want to create the Google Earth file in yellow cell V6
not exist in your computer you will get an error. The filename extension should always be KML.
You create the Google Earth file by clicking the "Generar modelo 3D" button.

DatosProgramador tab:
You can use this tab if you want to adjust the planets and Sun colors, without having to edit the VBA prog

Note about the language:

Although most of the text is in Spanish, the file is easy to use. If you follow the instructions above you shou

cros.

L documentation, the data are good between 1800 AD and 2050 AD.
Earth, the scale you want to use, the name and location of the exported file
"Google Earth" tab.
system model.

system. The export to Google Earth is only (x,y); z is ignored.

pace, that direction is the vernal equinox, in the constellation Pisces.

ime of the day.

ns of planets on that date and time: inner solar system, outer solar system

backwards and forward in the number of whole day intervals specified in

ed with astronomy software such as Starry Night. Our Moon's data, however,
ng that data. As a result, the Moon's position is off in some parts of the orbit
the cases.

on Google Earth in yellow cells R6 and S6.

ow cell D32.
te the Google Earth file in yellow cell V6. If you select a folder that does
extension should always be KML.
3D" button.

lors, without having to edit the VBA program.

ou follow the instructions above you should not have any problems.

Data and formulae from:

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/txt/aprx_pos_planets.pdf

Keplerian Elements for Approximate Positions of the Major Planets

E M Standish
Solar System Dynamics Group
JPL / Caltech

Mercurio
Venus
Tierra/Luna
(baricentro)
Marte
Jpiter
Saturno
Urano
Neptuno
Plutn

a
[ua]
[ua/siglo]
0.38709927
0.00000037
0.72333566
0.00000390
1.00000261
0.00000562
1.52371034
0.00001847
5.20288700
-0.00011607
9.53667594
-0.00125060
19.18916464
-0.00196176
30.06992276
0.00026291
39.48211675
-0.00031596

Satellites data:

Luna

Luna

e
[---]
[---/siglo]
0.20563593
0.00001906
0.00677672
-0.00004107
0.01671123
-0.00004392
0.09339410
0.00007882
0.04838624
-0.00013253
0.05386179
-0.00050991
0.04725744
-0.00004397
0.00859048
0.00005105
0.24882730
0.00005170

I
[]
[/siglo]
7.00497902
-0.00594749
3.39467605
-0.00078890
-0.00001531
-0.01294668
1.84969142
-0.00813131
1.30439695
-0.00183714
2.48599187
0.00193609
0.77263783
-0.00242939
1.77004347
0.00035372
17.14001206
0.00004818

L
[]
[/siglo]
252.25032350
149472.67411175
181.97909950
58517.81538729
100.46457166
35999.37244981
-4.55343205
19140.30268499
34.39644051
3034.74612775
49.95424423
1222.49362201
313.23810451
428.48202785
-55.12002969
218.45945325
238.92903833
145.20780515

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?sat_elem
a
[km]
384400.00

a
[ua]
[ua/siglo]
0.00256956
0.00000000

e
w
[---]
[]
0.05540000 318.15000000

e
[---]
[---/siglo]
0.05540000
0.00000000

I
[]
[/siglo]
5.16000000
0.00000000

M
[]
135.27000000

L
[]
[/siglo]
-----


[]
[/siglo]
77.45779628
0.16047689
131.60246718
0.00268329
102.93768193
0.32327364
-23.94362959
0.44441088
14.72847983
0.21252668
92.59887831
-0.41897216
170.95427630
0.40805281
44.96476227
-0.32241464
224.06891629
-0.04062942

[]
[/siglo]
48.33076593
-0.12534081
76.67984255
-0.27769418
0.00000000
0.00000000
49.55953891
-0.29257343
100.47390909
0.20469106
113.66242448
-0.28867794
74.01692503
0.04240589
131.78422574
-0.00508664
110.30393684
-0.01183482

i
node
[]
[]
5.16000000 125.08000000

[]
[/siglo]
-----

[]
[/siglo]
125.08000000
-0.00000004

Ao

2014

Mes

Da

13

Hora

12

Minuto

Segundo

Hoy

xecl

yecl

zecl

[ua]

[ua]

[ua]

0.34836714

-0.16698365

-0.04560612

-0.13481723

-0.71368588

-0.00200128

-0.92102040

-0.39644749

0.00001290

-1.51117868

-0.57680998

0.02501056

-2.06652353

4.80237515

0.02632762

-6.49473063

-7.45398640

0.38806451

19.55946435

4.29675709

-0.23753134

27.19976884

-12.59972769

-0.36734028

6.57949371

-31.93032872

1.51371259

n
[/da]
13.17635800

P
[das]
27.32200000

Pw
[aos]
###
5.99700000

xecl

yecl

zecl

[ua]

[ua]

[ua]

-0.92356618
-0.00254577

-0.39696770
-0.00052021

0.00022803
0.00021513

Sol
xSol 0
ySol 0
zSol 0
das: 1
r
[ua]

[]

[]

0.38900272

96.73275851

334.39009163

0.72631070

90.15787300

259.30272174

1.00272089

89.99926296

203.28915954

1.61771328

89.11414671

200.89162633

5.22819469

89.71147440

113.28282887

9.89414136

87.75218863

228.93404700

20.02726113

90.67956684

12.38974458

29.97858405

90.70208701

335.14504943

32.63628281

87.34159466

281.64327800

Pnode
[aos]
###
18.60000000
r
[ua]
1.00526508

[]
89.98700332

[]
203.25902559

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/?constants

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Constante
ua
c
Ao Juliano

Valor
149597870691.00
299792458
365.25

Unidades
[m]
[m/s]
[das]

Planeta

Dimetro
[103 km]

Distancia
media al sol
[106 km]

Sol

1392.684

0.000

13.927

6.963

Ubicacin Sol
Long

-119.018841

Dimetro
(Escala 02)
[m]

Radio
(Escala 02)
[m]

Mercurio

4.879

57.909

0.049

0.024

Venus

12.104

108.208

0.121

0.061

Tierra

12.742

149.598

0.127

0.064

Marte

6.772

227.939

0.068

0.034

Jpiter

139.823

778.547

1.398

0.699

Saturno

114.632

1433.449

1.146

0.573

Urano

50.532

2876.679

0.505

0.253

Neptuno

49.105

4503.444

0.491

0.246

Plutn

2.306

5874.000

0.023

0.012

Luna

3.476

0.384403

0.035

0.017

[Aos luz]

[m]

9460800000000000

Estrella

Distancia [Aos luz]

Distancia
(Escala 02)
[106 km]

Alfa Centauro

4.3

0.4068144

Escala

Valor

Escala 01

9.449100130182E-009

Escala 02

0.00000001

Generar modelo 3D
Ubicacin Sol
Lat

35.373341

Radio rbita
(Escala 02)
[m]

Archivo:

R int. anillos
(Escala 02)
[m]

\\vmware-host\Shared Folders\MacWin\The Solar System ov

R ext. anillos
(Escala 02)
[m]

xecl
(Escala 02)
[m]

yecl
(Escala 02)
[m]
0

579

zecl
(Escala 02)
[m]
0

521.149820979 -249.803979138 -68.2257815836

1082

-201.683712694

-1067.6588832

-2.9938672378

1496

-1377.82690993 -593.077001288

0.0192963735

2279

-2260.69112019 -862.895440829 37.4152653547

7785
14334

-3091.47520195 7184.25096718
0.823

1.323

39.385562773

-9715.97873523 -11151.0049375 580.536250029

28767

29260.5421899 6427.85710859 -355.341830432

45034

40690.2750127 -18848.9243317 -549.533236982

58740

9842.78249804 -47767.0918668 2264.48179893

-1381.63533462 -593.855220466

0.3411266843

Variable 1

Fila

Col

Variable 2

Col

Escala
Ubicacin Sol - Longitud
Sol - x
Mercurio - x
Venus - x
Tierra - x
Marte - x
Jpiter - x
Saturno - x
Urano - x
Neptuno - x
Plutn - x
Luna - x
Nombre archivo KML
Anillos Saturno - R interior
Anillos Saturno - R exterior

32
6
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
21
6
16
16

4
18

- Latitud

19

24

22
21
22

-y

25

Variable 3

-R
(escala 02)

Col

18

255
220
250
50
200
240
250
120
80
200
230

255
170
240
50
100
220
240
255
80
200
230

240
150
200
235
100
180
180
250
255
0
230

Color
Actualizar colores