As a geek, I have a part of my brain that lusts after cool toys. Sure, I’ve wanted a full-sized robot replica from Lost in Space but at 25 grand it was a bit dear, and the glowy Moon credenza was so expensive the price wasn’t even listed.
But now we have something both totally cool and relatively affordable: a full globe of the planet Mercury, using images from the amazing MESSENGER space probe!
It’s made by Replogle, renowned for their globes, and sold by my friends at Sky and Telescope magazine. I have one of their topographic moon globes and it’s really nice; the attention to detail is excellent and it’s very sturdy. It sits on my desk and I always get comments on it from visitors.
Photo by NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
So I imagine this Mercury globe is of similar top-notch quality. Up until very recently we didn’t even have a map of the entire surface of Mercury; from Earth it’s very difficult to observe, and earlier space probes didn’t see the whole planet. MESSENGER has been in orbit around the tiny, scorched planet since 2011, mapping the entire world in high-resolution as it flew over it. The pictures have been stunning.
Mercury looks superficially like the Moon, but when you examine it more closely the differences start to assert themselves. Craters sizes are different, contrast across the two worlds’ surfaces varies differently, and there are fewer mountains on Mercury than the Moon.
I think this globe would make a handsome feature in anyone’s house, and at under $100 it’s not necessarily bank-breaking. If I had a few square centimeters to spare on my desk next to my Moon globe, TARDIS USB hub, and flying saucer lamp, I’m sure this would be on my birthday list.
Related Posts – All my WANTS
WANT, Part XVIII: The Stars Underfoot Edition
WANT: Part XVII, Galaxy Rug Edition
WANT: Part XVI, The DANGER WILL ROBINSON Edition
WANT Part XV: Moon Credenza Edition
WANT Part XIV: Citric acid for blood
WANT Part XIII: Moon throw
WANT Part XII: Earth Globe Fire Pit
WANT Part XI: To boldly slice
WANT Part X: The TARDIS. A REAL TARDIS!
WANT Part IX: Levitating TARDIS edition
WANT Part VIII: Zen and the art of Apollo maintenance
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnt!!!
Want: Part 6
Want: Part V, lunar furniture edition
Want: Part IV
Want: Part III
Want: Part II
Want
