In the fall of 2011, the LRO mission (lunar reconnaissance) released the original “Moon Tour” - a 5-minute animation, immersing the viewer on a virtual tour of our nearby satellite. After 6 years, the tour was recreated in an amazing 4K resolution, using the same camera trajectory and drawing on the extensive database compiled by the LRO over the years.
Comparison of several shots of the original tour of 2011 (below) with the version of 2018 (above). LRO data is shown in improved quality on new images.
The tour demonstrates a number of interesting locations selected to illustrate the various features of the lunar terrain. Some are located on the intimate side and are familiar to both professional and amateur astronomers. There are also those points that can be observed exclusively from space. It is especially difficult to capture permanently shaded areas. However, they are easier to measure using altimetry. Moreover, several landing sites of Apollo (near the equator) were able to display with a resolution of up to 25 cm per pixel. The new tour also highlighted the mineral composition of the Aristarkh Plateau, traces of surface water ice near the south pole and mapping of gravity in and around the East Sea.
The camera sweeps over the lunar landscape, looking at a lot of amazing places. Here there is a narration, music, as well as the names of the features
