Google, commemorating the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s odyssey to space, has launched today an interactive 3D atlas of the moon, Moon in Google Earth, which enables the user to set foot on the moon virtually. This enthralling experience is a part of their new augmentation to Google Earth 5.0. Moon in Google Earth allows space-crazy people to behold and explore the “virtual Moonscape” and lunar topography in 3D.
Guided tours from astronauts Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11) and Jack Schmitt (Apollo 17) provide first-hand accounts of the space odyssey. These first-hand accounts and video footage of the moon, never seen before, provide further insight into the lunar missions. The user gets to scout the moon just like Street View in Google Earth. Additional info like geologic and topographic maps used in the space missions of the Apollo era, is also provided in Moon in Google Earth.
There’s a segment that gives the user details about various exploratory equipment space-goers left on the moon and the “Where” feature zooms in on the location, where those objects can still be seen. All the artifacts are collected from the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the EU, Japan, and India while some of them are shown as 3D models. This is a joint effort by Google and NASA, as a result of the Space Act Agreement between them. Moon in Google Earth makes “landing” on the moon a piece of cake.
Via: DailyMail
