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If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel

It is one thing to know intellectually that the universe is enormous, but it is another thing entirely to genuinely understand just how vast it is and how tiny humans are in comparison. One tool to help provide that perspective is this wonderful visualization created by Josh Worth, a graphic and web designer based in Los Angeles. As its title suggests, this project is "a tediously accurate scale model of the solar system," which imagines the moon as being a single pixel in diameter. Unlike many depictions of the solar system that focus on the planets and skip most of the space between them, this project includes empty space in all its barren glory. As visitors scroll through the model, wondering how much farther until the next planet, their journey is punctuated by brief (and often entertaining) commentary. A counter at the bottom shows the distance from the sun with a wide variety of units available, including kilometers, miles, and blue whales. In the bottom right corner there is also an option to scroll automatically at the speed of light, which is not as fast as many might assume. This project has also been translated into a number of languages, accessible via a menu in the upper right corner. Launched in 2014, If the Moon Were Only 1 Pixel received a Webby Award in the Science category.
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Date of Scout Publication
July 19th, 2019
Date Of Record Creation
July 16th, 2019 at 11:04am
Date Of Record Release
July 18th, 2019 at 9:43am
Resource URL Clicks
402
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