# Orrery: A Solar System — Planets in 3D, AR & Lessons

> Interactive 3D solar system model with educational content and AR. (iPhone/iPad app by Thu Van Ngo.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orrery-a-solar-system/id6788141567 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Thu Van Ngo](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782177457)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.80/5 from 20 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 59 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish, Vietnamese
- Released: 2026-07-13
- Data updated: 2026-09-08
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orrery-a-solar-system/id6788141567/reviews.md

## What is Orrery?

An orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system. This is yours, alive in light.

Open the app and fly: all eight planets, Pluto, the Moon, and a working asteroid belt orbit a glowing Sun in real relative motion. One finger orbits the camera, a pinch zooms, and a tap on any world glides you to its sunlit side.

Earth, Moon, and Sun are free to explore in full. One purchase unlocks the whole solar system. No subscription, no ads, no accounts, ever.

EXPLORE 
Every world has a full page: a spinnable globe, NASA-sourced vital statistics, an animated size comparison, and a "Did you know?" carousel.

LISTEN 
A narrated story for every world, written from NASA sources.

THE GRAND TOUR 
An eleven-stop guided cruise from the Sun to Pluto.

TIME TRAVEL 
One switch sets every world where it truly is right now, computed on device from JPL planetary theory. Then visit the moments that made history: Neptune's discovery night (1846), Apollo 11 (1969), Voyager 2 at Neptune (1989), New Horizons at Pluto (2015).

YOUR SKY 
Choose a day that matters and the whole orrery travels to it. The planets move to where they truly stood, and the day becomes a card you can keep or share: the phase of the Moon, the constellation the Sun was crossing, and two lines written for that sky alone.

ON YOUR HOME SCREEN 
A living miniature orrery widget, every planet in its true position, plus a world of the day with a fresh fact each morning.

STARGAZER SCHOOL 
Seven illustrated mini lessons on the big questions. Why days and years happen, why Pluto isn't a planet anymore, the farthest we have ever traveled, how telescopes see back in time, living in space, Hubble and Webb, and the Space Station overhead. Interactive diagrams and real NASA photography.

THE COSMIC QUIZ 
Five fresh questions every run, drawn from sixty.

IN YOUR ROOM 
Place the solar system on your table with AR. Toggle true distances and walk to Neptune.

SPEAKS YOUR LANGUAGE
English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese. Follow your device language or switch right in the app; every story is narrated in every language.

TRUE SCALE 
One switch spreads the orbits to real relative distances. Space is unimaginably empty; feel it.

Built for curious kids and the adults who point at the sky with them. Fully supports VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and Reduce Motion. Collects nothing, tracks nothing.

## Key features

- 3D solar system model with real motion
- Augmented Reality (AR) mode
- Narrated stories and vital statistics
- Historical time travel events
- Interactive educational mini-lessons
- Home screen widget
- Cosmic quiz

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Whole Solar System | $4.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (3 of 3)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orrery-a-solar-system/id6788141567/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Moon direction wrong

*2026-08-16*

This is a great concept, but the moon direction seems wrong. It shows the northern hemisphere at the top, so the moon should be orbiting counterclockwise. Also, it would be nice to show the earth rotation based on the current time of day.

**Developer response:** Thank you for this constructive feedback. You were right on both counts, and we should have caught it ourselves. The orbits were being drawn clockwise as seen from above the north pole, when the real solar system runs counterclockwise. Everything was in the correct position relative to the Sun, so it slipped past our checks, but the direction of travel was mirrored. That is fixed in the upcoming 1.4 version.
Regarding the second suggestion, Earth now rotates to the real time of day on Today in Time travel mode: the daylight side is where daylight actually is. We will have more dedicated features for Earth soon, please stay tuned.
If you spot anything else, or have other ideas, please feel free to contact us anytime. Feedback this precise makes the app better!

### 4/5 — Such a beautiful educational game!

*2026-08-08*

this app really emphasizes and bridges the educational and pure wonder of learning about space :)

**Developer response:** Hi Brianna, 
Thank you for the encouragement! We're glad you have been enjoying Orrery so far. Please do not hesitate to let us know what else we can do to improve your experience further.

### 5/5 — GET THIS APP!!

*2026-08-07*

Its SO GOOD AND ALSO WHEN YOU GET THE APP THERE IS NO SUBSCRIPTIONS UNLIKE SOME APPS I REALLY RECOMMEND GETING THE PASS TO VIEW ALL PLANETS ITS SO GOOD AND ALSO I VIEWED THE WHOLE THING…AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AT ALLLLL there were only one glitch and it hardly lets you click the plants but guess what THEY JUST MADE IT SO THERES A TOUR BUTTON AND ITS WAYYY BETTER AND FIXED THE GLITCH I RECOMMEND THIS APP A LOT as someone who loves space if you love space too you will love this app

**Developer response:** Thank you so much space traveler! Please feel free to contact us anytime if there is anything you would like to add or fix to make your experience even more enjoyable

## Frequently asked questions about Orrery

### What is Orrery?

Orrery is a 3D mechanical model of the solar system that allows users to explore planets, moons, and the asteroid belt in real relative motion. It includes educational content, historical events, and augmented reality features.

### Is Orrery free to use?

The app is free to download and explore Earth and the Moon. A one-time purchase is required to unlock the entire solar system.

### Does Orrery have ads?

No, Orrery is ad-free. The description explicitly states 'No subscription, no ads, no accounts, ever.'

### What educational content does Orrery offer?

Orrery includes narrated stories for each celestial body, vital statistics sourced from NASA, and seven illustrated mini-lessons covering topics like planetary motion, space travel, and telescopes. It also features an interactive quiz.

### Can I use Orrery in augmented reality?

Yes, Orrery features an AR mode that allows you to place the solar system on your table and toggle true distances, letting you walk to Neptune.

### What devices does Orrery support?

Orrery is built for iPhone and iPad, supporting features like VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and Reduce Motion.

### How often is Orrery updated?

The latest version is 1.3.6, and the app was last updated on August 14, 2026. This indicates a relatively frequent update schedule.

### What languages does Orrery support?

Orrery speaks English, Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese. Users can follow their device language or switch within the app, with all stories narrated in every language.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4 — 2026-08-18

The worlds move the way they truly move. Every planet and the Moon now travel counterclockwise around the Sun, the way the real solar system runs, and each one leans on its own true axis, so Earth's seasons fall where they belong and Venus turns backward as it really does.

Rotation joins the journey. In Time travel every world is turned exactly as it stood at that moment, and on today that means Earth shows the hour you are living in: the daylight side is where daylight actually is right now. The Moon keeps its familiar face toward us, the way it always has.

### 1.3.6 — 2026-08-14

bug fixes

### 1.3.5 — 2026-08-09

Your Sky. Choose a day that matters, a birthday, an anniversary, a day you want to keep, and Orrery travels there. Every planet moves to where it truly stood over that date, and the day becomes a card: the sky as it was, two lines written for it, the phase of the Moon, and the constellation the Sun was crossing. Give your own day its own name. Share the card, or just keep it.

### 1.3 — 2026-07-31

Time travel. Flip one switch and every world glides to where it truly is right now. Then visit the moments that made history: the night mathematics found Neptune (1846), the day two people stood on the Moon (1969), Voyager 2 at Neptune (1989), and New Horizons at Pluto (2015).

Home Screen widgets: a living miniature orrery with every planet in its true position all day long, and a world of the day with a new fact each morning. Tap it to open tonight's sky.

Also: choose your app icon — Classic, Neptune, or Titan — and refinements throughout.

### 1.2 — 2026-07-27

Orrery now speaks Spanish, French, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese. Every world, every lesson, all sixty quiz questions, and every narrated story, fully translated and re-narrated. Follow your device language, or switch languages right inside the app.

New lesson: The Sun's Family. Why isn't Pluto a planet anymore? Planets, dwarf planets, moons, and small bodies, sorted.

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## More apps by Thu Van Ngo

- [Gramigo: AI Calorie Counter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gramigo-ai-calorie-counter/id6782177455)

All apps by Thu Van Ngo: https://appshunter.io/developer/6782177457

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*