Celestia Forums

From : http://worldwind28.arc.nasa.gov/public/ ... r_base.jpg

Cripes...what are the black bits?

Of course, the only bad thing on all moon texture (I think) is the "unknow" area represented in black...

I really don't understand how there could be unknown areas. We've had satallites going to the moon since the 50's (maybe 60's?). I'm pretty sure even farely recently we've put satallites into orbit around the moon for the sole purpose of mapping it's entirety, esp. in the polar region, in search of water.

Remember that most images like this originate as scientific datasets, and are not intended to be used just to create pretty pictures. My impression is that none of the lunar surveyors have managed to record a complete dataset. They've all gone offline before they could fill in all of the pieces that they initially missed for one reason or another. Different datasets usually have been created by satellites that have different instruments or take photographs using different types of filters, so that the results aren't directly compatible with one another.

Of course, there's nothing stopping some artist from filling in the holes appropriately

It does seem strange,.. I thought whirlwind was developed by NASA itself

therefore I would have thought, Considering the success of G**@Le Earth

that 'gettin rid o tha noise" would be first priorty to releasing such a dataset.

Cheers

Osmium