Moon 3-D: The Lunar Surface Comes to Life

By Jim Bell

Book Overview

The journey to other worlds continues! Following the release of Mars 3-D comes a stunning three-dimensional tour of our celestial neighbor. Astronomer Jim Bell flies readers to the Moon, just in time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's famous first steps on the lunar surface. After a series of brief essays explaining the history and future of lunar exploration, the volume launches into a spectacular showcase of the best 3-D images available, taken by both robotic and human exploration missions; the pictures shot by the Apollo astronauts on their Moon walk receive special attention. In addition, an artistic selection of non-3D photos appears throughout, along with conceptual designs for future moon-based adventures. ?

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1402765517
• ISBN13: 9781402765513
• Release Date: June 2009
• Publisher: Sterling
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Excellent Full Moon 3D image of the moon

In addition to the historic Apollo, l969-1971 images of Lunar Geology and landings, and one of the space shuttle there is a surprisings image of the full moon taken by taking advantage of the slight wobble of the moon at a two month interval. These are the red/blue images superimpose on each other rather that the side by side versions.

A perfect gift for any astronomy buff who would live the lunar experience!

MOON 3-D: THE LUNAR SURFACE COMES TO LIFE is the next best thing to actually walking on the moon: it offers photos in 3-D with special built-in lenses that offer a 3-dimensional look at the moon. These 3-D photos were taken during robotic space and human exploration missions and include photos shot by the Apollo astronauts on their Moon walks. A perfect gift for any astronomy buff who would live the lunar experience!

Surprising moon images

I was surprised to hear that there were stereo images taken of the moon by our Astronauts. Stereo Images that were planned as part of a mission objective. But the camera used wasn't a stereo camera. It was a large format Hasselblad (65mm). And the simple act of clicking the shutter, advancing the film and leaning to the left or right, then retaking the same image from a slightly different perspective would capture the image in stereo -- A simple trick that could later be used to make 3D images. How simple! The results are astonishing! The fact that this information almost disappeared from history (until this book by Jim Bell) is reason enough to buy it. It makes a perfect compliment to the Mars stereo images.

Great book, just like its predecessor

Great fun, highly educational, etc. You can buy a pair of 3D glasses for pennies and use those if you don't like the built-in design, which I personally do (although viewing can sometimes be awkward, but you never lose your glasses this way). The quality of the 3D photos was addressed by another reviewer, but for all that they're not bad at all. Not quite as fun as Mars 3D, but a joy to read through. Definitely more interesting than a 2D book on the moon.

Historic and fascinating

The reviews criticizing the 3-D effects in the book are unfair. Read the opening text and you will see that these are 3-D pictures made by the astronauts using a very crude method of leaning two directions to get two different angles of a scene. The photos were later processed to work in the red-green 3-D method. The resolution was as good as possible using the cameras available to the astronauts in the sixties and we should be grateful they exist at all. Many of these photos have never been available in a book, Mr. Bell's text is excellent and my five year old son loves it all. I'm in agreement that perhaps separate 3-D glasses should have been included, instead of the viewer fixed to the book. It is a bit awkward to use, but as a father of small boys, I'm glad that the 3-D viewer can't get misplaced. I also like the other 3-D book by the author, Mars 3-D. The 3-D effects in that one are a bit more effective, made with higher resolution cameras and technology.