Placed into lunar orbit on June 23, 2009, the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) collected a wealth of topographic information to paint an extremely detailed map of the moon’s terrain. Although the purpose of this data collection was to detect favorable terrain and environmental conditions for future lunar missions by robots and human beings alike, you can enjoy the dramatic results of the LRO mission with Moon + Sun Lunar Globe.
Using the topographic data collected by the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Moon + Sun Lunar Globe recreates both the intricacies of the moon’s surface and the sunlight that creates the various lunar phases.
The “moon” part of this product is a 1 to 20-million scale replica of the Earth’s one and only moon that includes all craters, ridges, and other geographical formations in a highly accurate three-dimensional rendering. This unique globe combines the precision of NASA data with the careful craftsmanship of expert mold-makers.
The “sun” part of the Moon + Sun Lunar Globe is represented by a ring of LED lights that can be programmed to revolve around the lunar globe, to recreate the phases of the moon as seen from Earth. Observers can experience these phases in three different ways. They can set the product to view any phase they would like to see, or they can employ two different pre-programed modes. The demo mode allows one to observe a complete synodic month in just 30 seconds, while the live mode allows one to experience the actual lunar phase just as it is happening in nature at any given moment.