Map of the Month: Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe (2024)

Did the Artemis II mission last month stoke your interest in astronomy? Do you study lunar geology? Or are you simply a fan of gigantic, intricate maps? (We certainly are.)

The image above is a small section of our copy of the Geologic Atlas of the Lunar Globe (2024). To create the image above, I laid out part of one row of the far side of the moon, before running out of tables and spare book carts. The atlas as a whole has 45 sheets, grouped into 3 maps, depicting lunar geology, lithology, and tectonics. (Preview the geological sheet here.) These maps are each about 2.6 x 5.75 meters, and depict the near and far sides of the moon, plus polar views, at 1:2 500 000 scale. Despite its size, it is incredibly detailed: some of the features might require a magnifying glass to read. 

The atlas comes in a solid box, with a detailed accompanying text (the "Instructions" shown above, which actually contain detailed information on lunar geological ages, among other scientific notes).

For further information, please see the official announcement from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As always, please feel free to contact MDL if you would like to consult this atlas or our other astronomical maps.