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Moon Globe

The Moon as it is right now, built from NASA data.

3.0×

The Moon's real relief is under 0.5% of its radius.

Types
Illuminated
Phase
Libration
About this model

This globe is a 3D model assembled from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio CGI Moon Kit. Surface colour comes from the albedo map imaged by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Wide Angle Camera (LROC WAC); the relief comes from elevations measured by the same spacecraft's laser altimeter (LOLA). Normal and displacement maps were generated from that elevation data here, and the sunlight is shaded with a lunar-Lambert reflectance model.

Both the orientation and the apparent shape are the real values for the moment shown. The Moon keeps one face toward Earth, but because its orbit is elliptical and its axis slightly tilted, it appears to nod and rock a little — libration, which this globe reproduces (geocentric values; the small diurnal term that depends on your location is omitted). Feature names follow the IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.

Data: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio (CGI Moon Kit / LROC WAC · LOLA) · IAU Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature