The following five timelines show the geologic time scale to scale. The first shows the entire time from the formation of Earth to the present, but this gives little space for the most recent eon. The second timeline shows an expanded view of the most recent eon. In a similar way, the most recent era is expanded in the third timeline, the most recent period is expanded in the fourth timeline, and the most recent epoch is expanded in the fifth timeline.

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1100 height:120 PlotArea = left:65 right:15 bottom:20 top:5 AlignBars = justify

Colors =

 id:phanerozoic value:rgb(0.604,0.851,0.867)
 id:cenozoic value:rgb(0.949,0.976,0.114)
 id:quaternary value:rgb(0.976,0.976,0.498)
 id:neogene value:rgb(1,0.902,0.098)
 id:paleogene value:rgb(0.992,0.604,0.322)
 id:mesozoic value:rgb(0.403,0.773,0.792)
 id:cretaceous value:rgb(0.498,0.776,0.306)
 id:jurassic value:rgb(0.204,0.698,0.788)
 id:triassic value:rgb(0.506,0.169,0.573)
 id:paleozoic value:rgb(0.6,0.753,0.553)
 id:permian value:rgb(0.941,0.251,0.157)
 id:carboniferous value:rgb(0.403,0.647,0.6)
 id:devonian value:rgb(0.796,0.549,0.216)
 id:silurian value:rgb(0.702,0.882,0.714)
 id:ordovician value:rgb(0,0.573,0.439)
 id:cambrian value:rgb(0.498,0.627,0.337)
 id:precambrian value:rgb(0.969,0.263,0.439)
 id:proterozoic value:rgb(0.969,0.208,0.388)
 id:neoproterozoic value:rgb(0.996,0.702,0.259)
 id:ediacaran value:rgb(0.996,0.851,0.416)
 id:cryogenian value:rgb(0.996,0.8,0.361)
 id:tonian value:rgb(0.996,0.749,0.306)
 id:mesoproterozoic value:rgb(0.992,0.706,0.384)
 id:stenian value:rgb(0.996,0.85,0.604)
 id:ectasian value:rgb(0.992,0.8,0.541)
 id:calymmian value:rgb(0.992,0.753,0.478)
 id:paleoproterozoic value:rgb(0.969,0.263,0.439)
 id:statherian value:rgb(0.973,0.459,0.655)
 id:orosirian value:rgb(0.969,0.408,0.596)
 id:rhyacian value:rgb(0.969,0.357,0.537)
 id:siderian value:rgb(0.969,0.310,0.486)
 id:archean value:rgb(0.941,0.016,0.498)
 id:neoarchean value:rgb(0.976,0.608,0.757)
 id:mesoarchean value:rgb(0.969,0.408,0.663)
 id:paleoarchean value:rgb(0.957,0.267,0.624)
 id:eoarchean value:rgb(0.855,0.012,0.498)
 id:hadean value:rgb(0.682,0.008,0.494)
 id:black value:black
 id:white value:white

Period = from:-4567.3 till:0 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:500 start:-4500 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:100 start:-4500

Define $markred = text:"*" textcolor:red shift:(0,3) fontsize:10

PlotData =

 align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5)
 bar:supereon
 from: start till: -538.8 text:Precambrian color:precambrian
 bar:eon
 at:       0 align:right $markred
 at:    -538.8 align:left  $markred shift:(2,3)
 from:  -538.8 till:    0  text:Phanerozoic color:phanerozoic   
 from: -2500 till: -538.8  text:Proterozoic color:proterozoic   
 from: -4031 till: -2500 text:Archean     color:archean   
 from: start till: -4031 text:Hadean      color:hadean
 bar:era
 from: -66 till: 0     text:C color:cenozoic        
 from: -251.902  till: -66 text:Mesozoic color:mesozoic        
 from: -538.8  till: -251.902  text:Paleozoic color:paleozoic 
 from: -1000 till: -538.8  text:Neoproterozoic color:neoproterozoic   
 from: -1600 till: -1000 text:Mesoproterozoic color:mesoproterozoic  
 from: -2500 till: -1600 text:Paleoproterozoic color:paleoproterozoic 
 from: -2800 till: -2500 text:Neoarchean color:neoarchean       
 from: -3200 till: -2800 text:Mesoarchean color:mesoarchean      
 from: -3600 till: -3200 text:Paleoarchean color:paleoarchean     
 from: -4031 till: -3600 text:Eoarchean color:eoarchean
 from: start till: -4031 color:white
 bar:period
 fontsize:8
 from: -2.58 till: 0        color:quaternary
 from: -23.03 till: -2.58 color:neogene
 from: -66 till: -23.03 text:Pg color:paleogene
 from: -145 till: -66.0 text:K color:cretaceous
 from: -201.3 till: -145 text:J color:jurassic
 from: -251.902 till: -201.4 text:T  color:triassic
 from: -298.9 till: -251.902 text:P   color:permian
 from: -358.9 till: -298.9 text:Cf  color:carboniferous
 from: -419.2 till: -358.9 text:D  color:devonian
 from: -443.8 till: -419.2  color:silurian fontsize:7
 from: -485.4 till: -443.8 text:O color:ordovician
 from: -538.8 till: -485.4 text:C  color:cambrian
 from: -635  till: -538.8  text:Ed. color:ediacaran
 from: -720  till: -635  text:Cr. color:cryogenian
 from: -1000 till: -720  text:Tonian color:tonian
 from: -1200 till: -1000 text:Stenian color:stenian
 from: -1400 till: -1200 text:Ectasian color:ectasian
 from: -1600 till: -1400 text:Calymmian color:calymmian fontsize:7
 from: -1800 till: -1600 text:Statherian color:statherian fontsize:7
 from: -2050 till: -1800 text:Orosirian color:orosirian
 from: -2300 till: -2050 text:Rhyacian color:rhyacian
 from: -2500 till: -2300 text:Siderian color:siderian
 from: start till: -2500 color:white

</timeline>

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1100 height:100 PlotArea = left:65 right:15 bottom:20 top:5 AlignBars = justify

Colors =

 id:phanerozoic value:rgb(0.604,0.851,0.867)
 id:cenozoic value:rgb(0.949,0.976,0.114)
 id:quaternary value:rgb(0.976,0.976,0.498)
 id:neogene value:rgb(1,0.902,0.098)
 id:paleogene value:rgb(0.992,0.604,0.322)
 id:mesozoic value:rgb(0.403,0.773,0.792)
 id:cretaceous value:rgb(0.498,0.776,0.306)
 id:jurassic value:rgb(0.204,0.698,0.788)
 id:triassic value:rgb(0.506,0.169,0.573)
 id:paleozoic value:rgb(0.6,0.753,0.553)
 id:permian value:rgb(0.941,0.251,0.157)
 id:carboniferous value:rgb(0.403,0.647,0.6)
 id:devonian value:rgb(0.796,0.549,0.216)
 id:silurian value:rgb(0.702,0.882,0.714)
 id:ordovician value:rgb(0,0.573,0.439)
 id:cambrian value:rgb(0.498,0.627,0.337)
 id:black  value:black
 id:white  value:white
 id:darkgreen value:rgb(0,0.35,0)

Period = from:-538.8 till:0 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:100 start:-500 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:10 start:-530

Define $markred = text:"*" textcolor:red shift:(0,3) fontsize:10 Define $markgreen = text:"*" textcolor:darkgreen shift:(0,3) fontsize:10

PlotData=

 align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5)
 bar:eon
 at:      0   align:right  $markred 
 at:   -538.8   align:left   $markred shift:(2,3)
 from: -538.8   till:    0   text:Phanerozoic color:phanerozoic
 bar:era
 at:   0     align:right $markgreen
 at:   -66 align:left  $markgreen shift:(2,3)
 from: -66 till: 0     text:Cenozoic color:cenozoic
 from: -251.902  till: -66 text:Mesozoic color:mesozoic
 from: -538.8  till: -251.902  text:Paleozoic color:paleozoic
 bar:period fontsize:8
 from: -2.58 till: 0 text:Q color:quaternary
 from: -23.03 till: -2.58 text:Neogene color:neogene
 from: -66 till: -23.03 text:Paleogene color:paleogene
 from: -145 till: -66 text:Cretaceous color:cretaceous
 from: -201.4 till: -145 text:Jurassic color:jurassic
 from: -251.902 till: -201.4 text:Triassic color:triassic
 from: -298.9 till: -251.902 text:Permian color:permian
 from: -358.9 till: -298.9 text:Carboniferous color:carboniferous
 from: -419.2 till: -358.9 text:Devonian color:devonian
 from: -443.8 till: -419.2 text:Silurian color:silurian
 from: -485.4 till: -443.8 text:Ordovician color:ordovician
 from: -538.8 till: -485.4 text:[[Cambrian] color:cambrian

</timeline>

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1100 height:100 PlotArea = left:65 right:15 bottom:20 top:5 AlignBars = justify

Colors =

 id:cenozoic value:rgb(0.949,0.976,0.114)
 id:quaternary value:rgb(0.976,0.976,0.498)
 id:holocene value:rgb(0.996,0.922,0.824)
 id:pleistocene value:rgb(1,0.937,0.686)
 id:neogene value:rgb(1,0.902,0.098)
 id:pliocene value:rgb(1,1,0.6)
 id:miocene value:rgb(1,1,0)
 id:paleogene value:rgb(0.992,0.604,0.322)
 id:oligocene value:rgb(0.996,0.753,0.478)
 id:eocene value:rgb(0.992,0.706,0.424)
 id:paleocene value:rgb(0.992,0.655,0.373)
 id:black value:black
 id:white value:white
 id:darkgreen value:rgb(0,0.35,0)

Period = from:-66 till:0 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:-60 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:-65

Define $markred = text:"*" textcolor:red shift:(0,3) fontsize:10 Define $markgreen = text:"*" textcolor:darkgreen shift:(0,3) fontsize:10

PlotData=

 align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5)
 bar:era
 at:     0  align:right $markgreen 
 at: start  align:left  $markgreen shift:(2,3)
 from:start till:  0    text:Cenozoic color:cenozoic
 bar:period
 at:   0      align:right $markred 
 at:   -2.58 align:left  $markred shift:(2,3)
 from: -2.58 till: 0 text:Quaternary color:quaternary fontsize:6
 from: -23.03 till: -2.58 text:Neogene color:neogene
 from: start  till: -23.03 text:Paleogene color:paleogene
 bar:epoch
 from: -0.0117 till: 0  text:H color:holocene 
 from: -2.58 till: -0.0117 text:Pleistocene color:pleistocene fontsize:5
 from: -5.333 till: -2.58 text:Pliocene color:pliocene fontsize:7
 from: -23.03 till: -5.333 text:Miocene color:miocene
 from: -33.9 till: -23.03 text:Oligocene color:oligocene
 from: -56 till: -33.9 text:Eocene color:eocene
 from: start till: -56 text:Paleocene color:paleocene

</timeline>

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1100 height:100 PlotArea = left:65 right:15 bottom:20 top:5 AlignBars = justify

Colors =

 id:quaternary value:rgb(0.976,0.976,0.498)
 id:holocene value:rgb(0.996,0.922,0.824)
 id:meghalayan value:rgb(0.992,0.929,0.925)
 id:northgrippian value:rgb(0.992,0.925,0.894)
 id:greenlandian value:rgb(0.996,0.925,0.859)
 id:pleistocene value:rgb(1,0.937,0.686)
 id:late value:rgb(1,0.949,0.827)
 id:chibanian value:rgb(1,0.949,0.780)
 id:calabrian value:rgb(1,0.949,0.729)
 id:gelasian value:rgb(1,0.929,0.702)
 id:darkgreen value:rgb(0,0.35,0)

Period = from:-2.58 till:0 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:-2

Define $markred = text:"*" textcolor:red shift:(0,3) fontsize:10 Define $markgreen = text:"*" textcolor:darkgreen shift:(0,3) fontsize:10

PlotData=

 align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5)
 bar:period
 at: 0        align:right $markred 
 at: -2.58   align:left $markred shift:(2,3)
 from: -2.58 till: 0 text:Quaternary color:quaternary
 bar:epoch
 at: 0       align:right $markgreen
 at: -0.0117   align:left $markgreen shift:(2,3)
 from: -0.0117 till: 0      text:Holocene color:holocene
 from: -2.58 till: -0.0117 text:Pleistocene color:pleistocene
 bar:age fontsize:8
 from: -0.0042 till: 0      color:meghalayan
 from: -0.0082 till: -0.0042 color:northgrippian
 from: -0.0117 till: -0.0082 color:greenlandian
 from: -0.126 till: -0.0117 text:Late color:late
 from: -0.781 till: -0.126 text:Chibanian color:chibanian
 from: -1.806 till: -0.781 text:Calabrian color:calabrian
 from: -2.58 till: -1.806 text:Gelasian color:gelasian

</timeline>

(Horizontal scale is millions of years for the above timelines; thousands of years for the timeline below)

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1100 height:76 PlotArea = left:65 right:15 bottom:20 top:5 AlignBars = justify

Colors =

 id:holocene value:rgb(0.996,0.922,0.824)
 id:meghalayan value:rgb(0.992,0.929,0.925)
 id:northgrippian value:rgb(0.992,0.925,0.894)
 id:greenlandian value:rgb(0.996,0.925,0.859)
 id:darkgreen value:rgb(0,0.35,0)

Period = from:-11.7 till:0 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:-11

Define $markred = text:"*" textcolor:red shift:(0,3) fontsize:10 Define $markgreen = text:"*" textcolor:darkgreen shift:(0,3) fontsize:10

PlotData =

 align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5)
 bar:epoch
 at: 0       align:right $markgreen
 at: -11.7   align:left $markgreen shift:(2,3)
 from: -11.7 till: 0      text:Holocene color:holocene
 bar:age fontsize:8
 from: -4.2 till: 0      text:Meghalayan color:meghalayan
 from: -8.2 till: -4.2 text:Northgrippian color:northgrippian
 from: -11.7 till: -8.2 text:Greenlandian color:greenlandian

</timeline>

Template:Documentation