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LUNAROBSERVATORY

EDITION 02

EARTH'S NATURAL SATELLITE

A closer look.

Preparing your view of the Moon…

3D view unavailable

Your calculated observations and time controls still work.

Earth observer · local zenith upNASA / LRO surface

Drag to explore · pinch or scroll to zoom

YOUR OBSERVATIONLIVE

Calculating…

Light, distance, and perspective.

—of the visible disk
illuminated

Lunar age—

Observation details +

Distance from you—

Angular diameter—

Altitude · no refraction—

Azimuth · from north—

Calculating horizon position…

Tropical zodiac—

Earth-centred longitude of date

NEXT LUNAR PHASE——

Earth-observer measurements in both viewing modes.

TRAVEL THROUGH TIME—

Playback speed

Observation time within the shown thirty-day window

———

NASA / LRO imagery · Astronomy Engine 2.1.19Calculated view. Eclipse shadows & local obstructions not modelled.

Your view from Earth

Change your observer. Calculations stay on your device.

Location name

Latitude (° north)Longitude (° east)

Elevation above sea level (m)

Zurich elevation defaults to 408 m; adjust for your exact location.

Display time zone

Choose your moment

Enter UTC to make the instant unambiguous across time zones and daylight-saving changes.

Date and time (UTC)

Supported dates: 2000–2050. Displayed in your observer's time zone.

Grounded in astronomy.

This is a calculated telescope-like view, not a live camera feed. Explore 3D moves a virtual camera; the observations always describe your selected location on Earth.

The surface

NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio / LRO color and LOLA elevation maps. Imagery is optimized for visualization, not surface measurement. NASA CGI Moon Kit ↗

The calculations

Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 ↗ runs locally. Position uses its lunar model; surface orientation uses IAU rotational elements. No live JPL service is used. The library targets roughly one-arcminute positional accuracy; this is not a spacecraft navigation tool.

Altitude is topocentric with atmospheric refraction off. Azimuth is measured clockwise from north. Distance and angular diameter are observer-centred. Tropical zodiac uses Earth-centred ecliptic longitude of date; it is not an astronomical constellation or a scientific prediction.

What this view omits

Eclipse shadows, terrain obstructions, weather, and atmospheric distortion are not modelled. Below-horizon status is not a visibility forecast. Surface relief and exposure are visual approximations; lunar orientation is not a high-precision SPICE-kernel solution.

Edition 02 · Your coordinates are not uploaded by this application.