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Moon facts


Moon: Orbiting planet Earth
Distance from Earth: 360-410.000km
Diameter 3.474km
Atmosphere: No
Temp: -270ºC

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New topographic map of the Moon
Friday, 18 November 2011 15:06
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Solar system - The moon

NASA LRO orbiter has been cirkeling the Moon for a year now, and has compilled a complete topographic map of the Moon, showing details down to 100m!

The LROC team releases Version 1 of the Wide Angle Camera (WAC) topographic map of the Moon. This amazing map shows you the ups and downs over nearly the entire Moon, at a scale of 100 meters across the surface, and 20 meters or better vertically. Despite the diminutive size of the WAC (it fits in the palm of one's hand), it images nearly the entire Moon every month. Every month? Yes! Redundant data? No! Each month the Moon's lighting changes, so the WAC methodically builds up a record of how different rocks reflect light under different conditions, and adds to the LROC library of stereo observations.

The new topographic model incorporates the first year of stereo imaging, and there is another year of data that can be added to the solution. These additional stereo images will not only improve the sharpness (resolution) of the model but also fill in very small gaps that exist in the current map.

Explore the new LROC GLD100

See  full resolution hemispheric view.

Direct links to color shaded relief visualizations:
Orthographic projection centered at 0° longitude and 0° latitude.
Orthographic projection centered at 60° longitude and 0° latitude.
Orthographic projection centered at 120° longitude and 0° latitude.
Orthographic projection centered at 180° longitude and 0° latitude.
Orthographic projection centered at 240° longitude and 0° latitude.
Orthographic projection centered at 300° longitude and 0° latitude.
Orthographic projection centerd at 0° longitude and 90° latitude.
Orthographic projection centered at 0° longitude and -90° latitude.