thinkzone.wlonk.com

Solar System Scale Model Calculator
Instructions for Website Developers

The Main Page - SolarSystemModel.php

Use this URL to link to the Solar System Scale Model Calculator main page.

Alternatively, you may start with "https". URLs starting with "http" will automatically redirect to "https".

Change Notice (Jan 2019): Secure HTTPS enabled on thinkzone.wlonk.com.

URL Query Parameters

URL query parameters may be used to pre-define the model and set options for the main page (SolarSystemModel.php), the Map page (SolarSystemMap.html), or the KML page (SolarSystem.kml.php).

These parameters are required to define the scale a model: (scale) or (obj & dia) or (obj & dist).

These parameters are required to define a location on the map: (lat & lon) or (loc).

For the Map page or KML page, the only applicable parametes are: scale, obj, dia, dist, lat, lon, loc, and the planet options.

Parameter Value Description
Scaling parameters
scale= number > 1 Model scale.
obj= sun or planet name Base object for scaling: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Eris, Planet9
dia= number+m|cm|km|ft|in|mi
example: 2.5m		 Model diameter of sun or planet.
dist= number+m|cm|km|ft|in|mi
example: 1000ft		 Model distance of planet from the sun.
Location parameters
lat= -90 to 90 Latitude of center of solar system on map.
lon= -180 to 180 Longitude of center of solar system on map.
loc= lat,lon Latitude and longitude, comma-separated. (Alternative)
Section options
table= y/n (default y) Show solar system table on main page.
map= y/n (default n) Show solar system map on main page.
Units options
us= y/n (default n) Show US units (mi/ft/in) rather than metric (km/m/cm) on table.
Planet options
mercury= y/n (default y) Show Mercury.
venus= y/n (default y) Show Venus.
earth= y/n (default y) Show Earth.
mars= y/n (default y) Show Mars.
ceres= y/n (default y) Show Ceres - Asteroid Belt.
jupiter= y/n (default y) Show Jupiter.
saturn= y/n (default y) Show Saturn.
uranus= y/n (default y) Show Uranus.
neptune= y/n (default y) Show Neptune.
pluto= y/n (default y) Show Pluto - Kuiper Belt.
eris= y/n (default n) Show Eris - Scattered Disk.
planet9= y/n (default n) Show Planet 9 - Distant Detached Objects.
(Planet 9 is hypothetical. This option may be removed or renamed in future.)
Table options
rings= y/n (default n) Show rings table.
moons= y/n (default n) Show moons table.
stars= y/n (default n) Show stars and galaxies table.
minmax= y/n (default n) Show min/max distances on table.
au= y/n (default n) Show astronomical units on table.
light= y/n (default n) Show light travel times on table.

Examples:

The boolean options will accept values y/n or 1/0.

Change Notice (July 2016): Added options for all individual planets. Added new lat & lon query parameters (old loc=lat,lon is still supported).

KML Files

Thinkzone Solar System Model uses KML files or KML layers to draw the planet orbit circles on a map.

You may use KML files with tools like Google Maps API, Google My Maps, or Google Earth.

KML is XML. You can read and edit KML.

The Map Page - SolarSystemMap.html

The Map page shows nothing but a full-window Google map with the solar system KML layer applied. Use this URL to link to or embed an interactive solar system map in your webpage.

Examples:

Change Notice (Jan 2015): Old map URLs containing "maps.google.com" with custom KML layer are no longer supported.

The KML Page - SolarSystem.kml.php

This KML URL generates a KML file with the planet orbits to be applied to a map. You may reference this URL live or use it to download a KML file that you keep.

Examples:

Methods of Linking and Embedding

Here are some ways (as of 2015) to make your web page link to or embed an interactive map of your solar system model.

Method 1: Your web page may simply link to the Solar System Scale Model Calculator main page (SolarSystemModel.php), with the scale, location, and options preset as you choose. You can use table=y/n and map=y/n options to set whether it initially shows the table, the map, or both. The main page gives the user the freedom to explore and change the scale, location, and options.

HTML example:

<a href="http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemModel.php?obj=Sun&dia=1m&lat=47.622493&lon=-122.352017&table=n&map=y">Solar System Scale Model Calculator</a>

Method 2: Your web page may link to the Map page (SolarSystemMap.html) with the scale, location, and options set as you choose.

HTML example:

<a href="http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemMap.html?obj=Sun&dia=30ft&lat=47.622493&lon=-122.352017">Solar System Map</a>

Method 3: Your web page may embed (for example, with iframe) the Map page (SolarSystemMap.html) with the scale, location, and options set as you choose.

HTML example:

<iframe width="500" height="500" src="http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemMap.html?obj=Sun&dia=30ft&lat=47.622493&lon=-122.352017"></iframe>

Method 4: Your web page may create your own customizable map (with Google Maps API) and apply the Thinkzone KML layer with a live reference to the Thinkzone KML page (SolarSystem.kml.php) with the scale, location, and options set as you choose.

JavaScript example:

var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map-canvas'), {});
var kmlUrl = "http://thinkzone.wlonk.com/SS/SolarSystemMap.html?obj=Sun&dia=30ft&lat=47.622493&lon=-122.352017";
var kmlLayer = new google.maps.KmlLayer(kmlUrl, {});
kmlLayer.setMap(map);

Method 5: Your web page may create your own customizable map (with Google Maps API) and apply the Thinkzone KML layer from a local copy of the KML file that you downloaded from the Thinkzone KML page (SolarSystem.kml.php) with the scale, location, and options set as you choose.

JavaScript example:

var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map-canvas'), {});
var kmlUrl = "http://mywebsite/mySolarSystemModel.kml";
var kmlLayer = new google.maps.KmlLayer(kmlUrl, {});
kmlLayer.setMap(map);

Map Usage Limits

Google Maps API has usage limits. The limits (as of 2018) are: if all users of this site generate more than about 1000 Google maps per day worldwide, this website will not generate any more maps that day for anybody. If that happens, all users will need to wait until the next day. If the maps are not working, you can still download a KML file and view it using an app like Google Earth. There are no limits to the number of KML files that may be generated and downloaded. You are welcome to generate all the maps you need, but please avoid generating hundreds of maps if you don't need to.

Change Notice (June 2018): Google Maps reduced free usage limits.

Terms of Use - KML

You may use (and modify) the downloaded Solar System Model KML files without restriction. The KML files are internally marked as created by thinkzone.wlonk.com, Keith Enevoldsen, with No Rights Reserved (CC0).