System tab › Map / 3D. The 3D view (RealityKit) shows the Sun and planets at their positions for the slider's date.
- Scales: Compressed (distance^0.4, sizes enlarged; whole system fits) and True scale (1 AU = 1 scene unit, real radii; circles mark the specks). Switching re-fits the view to Neptune's orbit.
- Planets: NASA/USGS maps where we have them (Globes/), page colour otherwise; axial tilt; Saturn's rings. Unlit with a night-side shell turned away from the Sun, so day and night are exact.
- Sun: generated mottled texture and a 10-shell glow.
- Orbits: ribbons from one period of positions, rebuilt when zoom changes their width a lot; hidden when close to a planet.
- Drag to orbit the camera, pinch to zoom (to ~1e-6 AU in true scale), tap a body to fly to it with a card (distance, light time, Read more). Labels drop when they would overlap a bigger body's.
- Time: the existing slider and play button drive both views (3D plays at 2 days per frame).
- Live, today only: an M-class or larger flare in the last 3 h shows as a pulsing bulge on the Sun facing Earth; Kp ≥ 4 shows aurora rings at Earth's poles. Summary line under the scene. Debug builds can force both with the
debugSolarEventsdefault. - Checked on the simulator: both scales, fly-to Earth/Saturn/Uranus/Sun, flare, aurora, playback, Map still works.
- Not done (phase 2): moons, dwarf planets, spacecraft, comets, meteor showers.