3D printable Moon lamp: STL from NASA's real map

See inside

What this tool does

Two real NASA maps: the Moon as seen from Earth (dark seas, bright highlands) or its relief as measured by the LRO probe.

The wall varies between a minimum and a maximum by the map: lit from inside, thin wall lets light through and thick wall reads dark.

60 to 220 mm across, map contrast, a turn to choose which side faces front and a light opening that always goes through the wall.

The sphere rests flat on its opening, so it prints with no overhang at the bottom; the stand has a lip that centers it and a slot for the cable.

A lit preview before printing, with the estimated weight in PLA.

A 3MF with the moon and the stand, or an STL per piece; everything is generated in your browser.

How it works

Pick the map and the size

The Moon as seen from here or its relief, and the diameter. The lit view shows how it will look with the light inside.

Adjust the wall and opening

Thinnest and thickest wall, map contrast and the opening for the LED; add the stand if you like.

Download and print

3MF or STL. The sphere goes in white PLA resting on its opening, with the whole wall printed solid.

Frequently asked questions

How does a 3D printed moon lamp work?

It is a lithophane shaped as a sphere. The wall is not the same thickness everywhere: where the map is dark, like the lunar seas, it is thicker and lets less light through; where it is bright, thinner. Off, it looks like a ball with relief, but with an LED inside the image of the Moon appears. ilove3d's Moon lamp tool builds that wall from NASA's maps, between the thinnest and thickest values you choose.

How do you print it without the sphere warping?

Resting on its opening, which is flat: from there up the sphere closes in, and only the lowest band, where the wall grows outward, may need tree supports. Use white or natural PLA, 0.12 to 0.16 mm layers and enough perimeters to cover the whole wall, or 100% infill: with partial infill, blotches show when it is lit.

What light goes inside?

An LED puck or a warm LED strip, battery or USB. Always LED: an incandescent bulb gets hot enough to warp PLA. The 60 mm opening fits common LED pucks, and the stand has a slot so the cable leaves through the bottom.

Where do the maps come from?

From the CGI Moon Kit by NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio, built from the LROC camera and the LOLA altimeter of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. They are public domain. The tool downloads them once and processes them in your browser.

Question of the month

Which printer do you use?