Planet Positions API
Planet Positions is a simple tool for getting the position of planets in the solar system. It returns the position of planets in the solar system.
The Planet Positions API provides reliable and fast access to planet positions data through a simple REST interface. Built for developers who need consistent, high-quality results with minimal setup time.
To use Planet Positions, you need an API key. You can get one by creating a free account and visiting your dashboard.
POST Endpoint
https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositionsCode Examples
Here are examples of how to call the Planet Positions API in different programming languages:
curl -X POST \
"https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions" \
-H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"planet": "Moon",
"date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
"lat": 37.7749,
"lon": -122.4194,
"alt": 52
}'const response = await fetch('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
},
body: JSON.stringify({
"planet": "Moon",
"date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
"lat": 37.7749,
"lon": -122.4194,
"alt": 52
})
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);import requests
headers = {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
payload = {
"planet": "Moon",
"date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
"lat": 37.7749,
"lon": -122.4194,
"alt": 52
}
response = requests.post('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions', headers=headers, json=payload)
data = response.json()
print(data)const https = require('https');
const url = require('url');
const options = {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'X-API-Key': 'your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type': 'application/json'
}
};
const postData = JSON.stringify({
"planet": "Moon",
"date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
"lat": 37.7749,
"lon": -122.4194,
"alt": 52
});
const req = https.request('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions', options, (res) => {
let data = '';
res.on('data', (chunk) => data += chunk);
res.on('end', () => console.log(JSON.parse(data)));
});
req.write(postData);
req.end();<?php
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, 'https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, 'POST');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
'X-API-Key: your_api_key_here',
'Content-Type: application/json'
]);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode({
'planet': 'Moon',
'date': '2025-04-15 10:37:00',
'lat': 37.7749,
'lon': -122.4194,
'alt': 52
}));
$response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
$data = json_decode($response, true);
print_r($data);
?>package main
import (
"fmt"
"io"
"net/http"
"bytes"
"encoding/json"
)
func main() {
payload := map[string]interface{}{
"planet": "Moon",
"date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
"lat": "37.7749",
"lon": "-122.4194",
"alt": "52"
}
jsonPayload, _ := json.Marshal(payload)
req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions", bytes.NewBuffer(jsonPayload))
req.Header.Set("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here")
req.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
client := &http.Client{}
resp, err := client.Do(req)
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
defer resp.Body.Close()
body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
fmt.Println(string(body))
}require 'net/http'
require 'json'
uri = URI('https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions')
http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
http.use_ssl = true
payload = {
"planet": "Moon",
"date": "2025-04-15 10:37:00",
"lat": 37.7749,
"lon": -122.4194,
"alt": 52
}
request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(uri)
request['X-API-Key'] = 'your_api_key_here'
request['Content-Type'] = 'application/json'
request.body = payload.to_json
response = http.request(request)
puts JSON.pretty_generate(JSON.parse(response.body))using System;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
class Program
{
static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
using var client = new HttpClient();
client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-API-Key", "your_api_key_here");
var jsonContent = @"{
""planet"": ""Moon"",
""date"": ""2025-04-15 10:37:00"",
""lat"": 37.7749,
""lon"": -122.4194,
""alt"": 52
}";
var content = new StringContent(jsonContent, Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
var response = await client.PostAsync("https://api.apiverve.com/v1/planetpositions", content);
response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();
var responseBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
Console.WriteLine(responseBody);
}
}Authentication
The Planet Positions API requires authentication via API key. Include your API key in the request header:
X-API-Key: your_api_key_hereInteractive API Playground
Test the Planet Positions API directly in your browser with live requests and responses.
Parameters
The following parameters are available for the Planet Positions API:
Get Planet Position Data
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description | Default | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
datePremium | string | optional | The date to get planetary position data for (MM-DD-YYYY) Format: date (e.g., 01-16-2026) | - | |
time | string | optional | The time of day for the calculation (HH:mm format, 24-hour). Defaults to 00:00 if not provided Format: time (e.g., 21:00) | - | |
lat | number | required | The latitude of the observer Range: -90 - 90 | - | |
lon | number | required | The longitude of the observer Range: -180 - 180 | - | |
alt | number | optional | The altitude of the observer in meters Range: min: 0 | - | |
planet | string | required | The planet to get position data for Supported values: sunmoonmercuryvenusmars | - |
Response
The Planet Positions API returns responses in JSON, XML, YAML, and CSV formats:
Example Responses
{
"status": "ok",
"error": null,
"data": {
"planet": "Moon",
"isBelowHorizon": false,
"date": "2025-04-15T10:37:00Z",
"observer": {
"latitude": 37.7749,
"longitude": -122.4194
},
"rightAscension": {
"hours": 15,
"minutes": 13,
"seconds": 11
},
"declination": {
"degrees": -23,
"minutes": 10,
"seconds": 56
},
"distance": {
"km": 402457.36,
"lightTravelSeconds": 1.342,
"astronomicalUnits": 0.003
},
"siderealTime": {
"hours": 16,
"minutes": 2,
"seconds": 42
},
"hourAngle": {
"hours": 0,
"minutes": 49,
"seconds": 31
},
"vectors": {
"x": -0.0016452947779903913,
"y": -0.0018463324771434563,
"z": -0.0010590407236111441
}
}
}<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<response>
<status>ok</status>
<error xsi:nil="true" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"/>
<data>
<planet>Moon</planet>
<isBelowHorizon>false</isBelowHorizon>
<date>2025-04-15T10:37:00Z</date>
<observer>
<latitude>37.7749</latitude>
<longitude>-122.4194</longitude>
</observer>
<rightAscension>
<hours>15</hours>
<minutes>13</minutes>
<seconds>11</seconds>
</rightAscension>
<declination>
<degrees>-23</degrees>
<minutes>10</minutes>
<seconds>56</seconds>
</declination>
<distance>
<km>402457.36</km>
<lightTravelSeconds>1.342</lightTravelSeconds>
<astronomicalUnits>0.003</astronomicalUnits>
</distance>
<siderealTime>
<hours>16</hours>
<minutes>2</minutes>
<seconds>42</seconds>
</siderealTime>
<hourAngle>
<hours>0</hours>
<minutes>49</minutes>
<seconds>31</seconds>
</hourAngle>
<vectors>
<x>-0.0016452947779903913</x>
<y>-0.0018463324771434563</y>
<z>-0.0010590407236111441</z>
</vectors>
</data>
</response>
status: ok
error: null
data:
planet: Moon
isBelowHorizon: false
date: '2025-04-15T10:37:00Z'
observer:
latitude: 37.7749
longitude: -122.4194
rightAscension:
hours: 15
minutes: 13
seconds: 11
declination:
degrees: -23
minutes: 10
seconds: 56
distance:
km: 402457.36
lightTravelSeconds: 1.342
astronomicalUnits: 0.003
siderealTime:
hours: 16
minutes: 2
seconds: 42
hourAngle:
hours: 0
minutes: 49
seconds: 31
vectors:
x: -0.0016452947779903913
'y': -0.0018463324771434563
z: -0.0010590407236111441
| key | value |
|---|---|
| planet | Moon |
| isBelowHorizon | false |
| date | 2025-04-15T10:37:00Z |
| observer | {latitude:37.7749,longitude:-122.4194} |
| rightAscension | {hours:15,minutes:13,seconds:11} |
| declination | {degrees:-23,minutes:10,seconds:56} |
| distance | {km:402457.36,lightTravelSeconds:1.342,astronomicalUnits:0.003} |
| siderealTime | {hours:16,minutes:2,seconds:42} |
| hourAngle | {hours:0,minutes:49,seconds:31} |
| vectors | {x:-0.0016452947779903913,y:-0.0018463324771434563,z:-0.0010590407236111441} |
Response Structure
All API responses follow a consistent structure with the following fields:
| Field | Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
status | string | Indicates whether the request was successful ("ok") or failed ("error") | ok |
error | string | null | Contains error message if status is "error", otherwise null | null |
data | object | null | Contains the API response data if successful, otherwise null | {...} |
Learn more about response formats →
Response Data Fields
When the request is successful, the data object contains the following fields:
| Field | Type | Sample Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
planet | string | Name of the celestial body being observed | |
isBelowHorizon | boolean | Whether the planet is below horizon at observation location | |
date | string | Observation date and time in ISO 8601 format | |
observer | object | - | |
â”” latitude | number | Observer latitude in decimal degrees | |
â”” longitude | number | Observer longitude in decimal degrees | |
rightAscensionPremium | object | Right ascension coordinates of the planet | |
â”” hours | number | Right ascension hours component (0-23) | |
â”” minutes | number | Right ascension minutes component (0-59) | |
â”” seconds | number | Right ascension seconds component (0-59) | |
declinationPremium | object | Declination coordinates of the planet | |
â”” degrees | number | Declination degrees component (-90 to 90) | |
â”” minutes | number | Declination minutes component (0-59) | |
â”” seconds | number | Declination seconds component (0-59) | |
distancePremium | object | Distance to the planet in various units | |
â”” km | number | Distance to planet in kilometers | |
â”” lightTravelSeconds | number | Light travel time in seconds from planet | |
â”” astronomicalUnits | number | Distance in astronomical units (AU) | |
siderealTimePremium | object | Local sidereal time at observation | |
â”” hours | number | Local sidereal time hours component (0-23) |
Headers
Required and optional headers for Planet Positions API requests:
| Header Name | Required | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
X-API-Key | required | your_api_key_here | Your APIVerve API key. Found in your dashboard under API Keys. |
Accept | optional | application/json | Specify response format: application/json (default), application/xml, or application/yaml |
User-Agent | optional | MyApp/1.0 | Identifies your application for analytics and debugging purposes |
X-Request-ID | optional | req_123456789 | Custom request identifier for tracking and debugging requests |
Cache-Control | optional | no-cache | Control caching behavior for the request and response |
GraphQL AccessALPHA
Access Planet Positions through GraphQL to combine it with other API calls in a single request. Query only the planet positions data you need with precise field selection, and orchestrate complex data fetching workflows.
Credit Cost: Each API called in your GraphQL query consumes its standard credit cost.
POST https://api.apiverve.com/v1/graphqlquery {
planetpositions(
input: {
planet: "Moon"
date: "2025-04-15 10:37:00"
lat: 37.7749
lon: -122.4194
alt: 52
}
) {
planet
isBelowHorizon
date
observer {
latitude
longitude
}
rightAscension {
hours
minutes
seconds
}
declination {
degrees
minutes
seconds
}
distance {
km
lightTravelSeconds
astronomicalUnits
}
siderealTime {
hours
minutes
seconds
}
hourAngle {
hours
minutes
seconds
}
vectors {
x
y
z
}
}
}Note: Authentication is handled via the x-api-key header in your GraphQL request, not as a query parameter.
CORS Support
The Planet Positions API supports Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) with wildcard configuration, allowing you to call Planet Positions directly from browser-based applications without proxy servers.
| CORS Header | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
Access-Control-Allow-Origin | * | Accepts requests from any origin |
Access-Control-Allow-Methods | * | Accepts any HTTP method |
Access-Control-Allow-Headers | * | Accepts any request headers |
Browser Usage: You can call Planet Positions directly from JavaScript running in the browser without encountering CORS errors. No proxy server or additional configuration needed.
Rate Limiting
Planet Positions API requests are subject to rate limiting based on your subscription plan. These limits ensure fair usage and maintain service quality for all Planet Positions users.
| Plan | Rate Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 requests/min | Hard rate limit enforced - exceeding will return 429 errors |
| Starter | No Limit | Production ready - standard traffic priority |
| Pro | No Limit | Production ready - preferred traffic priority |
| Mega | No Limit | Production ready - highest traffic priority |
Learn more about rate limiting →
Rate Limit Headers
When rate limits apply, each Planet Positions response includes headers to help you track your usage:
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
X-RateLimit-Limit | Maximum number of requests allowed per time window |
X-RateLimit-Remaining | Number of requests remaining in the current window |
X-RateLimit-Reset | Unix timestamp when the rate limit window resets |
Handling Rate Limits
Free Plan: When you exceed your rate limit, Planet Positions returns a 429 Too Many Requests status code. Your application should implement appropriate backoff logic to handle this gracefully.
Paid Plans: No rate limiting or throttling applied. All paid plans (Starter, Pro, Mega) are production-ready.
Best Practices for Planet Positions:
- Monitor the rate limit headers to track your Planet Positions usage (Free plan only)
- Cache planet positions responses where appropriate to reduce API calls
- Upgrade to Pro or Mega for guaranteed no-throttle Planet Positions performance
Note: Planet Positions rate limits are separate from credit consumption. You may have credits remaining but still hit rate limits when using Planet Positions on Free tier.
Error Codes
The Planet Positions API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate success or failure:
| Code | Message | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
200 | OK | Request successful, data returned | No action needed - request was successful |
400 | Bad Request | Invalid request parameters or malformed request | Check required parameters and ensure values match expected formats |
401 | Unauthorized | Missing or invalid API key | Include x-api-key header with valid API key from dashboard |
403 | Forbidden | API key lacks permission or insufficient credits | Check credit balance in dashboard or upgrade plan |
429 | Too Many Requests | Rate limit exceeded (Free: 5 req/min) | Implement request throttling or upgrade to paid plan |
500 | Internal Server Error | Server error occurred | Retry request after a few seconds, contact support if persists |
503 | Service Unavailable | API temporarily unavailable | Wait and retry, check status page for maintenance updates |
Learn more about error handling →
Need help? Contact support with your X-Request-ID for assistance.
Integrate Planet Positions with SDKs
Get started quickly with official Planet Positions SDKs for your preferred language. Each library handles authentication, request formatting, and error handling automatically.
Available for Node.js, Python, C#/.NET, and Android/Java. All SDKs are open source and regularly updated.
Integrate Planet Positions with No-Code API Tools
Connect the Planet Positions API to your favorite automation platform without writing code. Build workflows that leverage planet positions data across thousands of apps.





All platforms use your same API key to access Planet Positions. Visit our integrations hub for step-by-step setup guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an API key for Planet Positions?
How many credits does Planet Positions cost?
Each successful Planet Positions API call consumes credits based on plan tier. Check the pricing section above for the exact credit cost. Failed requests and errors don't consume credits, so you only pay for successful planet positions lookups.
Can I use Planet Positions in production?
The free plan is for testing and development only. For production use of Planet Positions, upgrade to a paid plan (Starter, Pro, or Mega) which includes commercial use rights, no attribution requirements, and guaranteed uptime SLAs. All paid plans are production-ready.
Can I use Planet Positions from a browser?
What happens if I exceed my Planet Positions credit limit?
When you reach your monthly credit limit, Planet Positions API requests will return an error until you upgrade your plan or wait for the next billing cycle. You'll receive notifications at 80% and 95% usage to give you time to upgrade if needed.



