2. Everything for this project is taken from NASA’s Blue
Marble Project
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_cat.php?categoryID=1
484
The BMNG Raw Bathymetry provides the depths of
the Oceans to the map
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=73963
The BMNG Raw Topography provides the
topography of the Earth’s Surface (ie Mountains,
Plains, etc)
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=73934
3. Below are the links to the March 2013 maps of the Earth’s
surface:
March, Blue Marble Next Generation
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=73992
March, Blue Marble Next Generation w/ Topography
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=74293
March, Blue Marble Next Generation w/ Topography and
Bathymetry
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=73630
And don’t forget the clouds
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view.php?id=74293
Also see http://planetpixelemporium.com/planets.html
4. 1. Select the object
1. A UV shpere
2. In the Toolshelf
1. Click smooth
3. Add a new Material
1. No changes need to be
made to this material as
it is just a holder for this
activity.
4. Switch to Textures and
add a new Texture
1. This creates a texture in
slot one
5. Name the Texture
Earth_colours
Change the Texture Type
to
Image or Movie
In the Image sub-section
Open image
Find the image you want
to use
6. Under Image Mapping
change;
Extension to Extend
This describes how the
2D map is extended to
cover the 3D object.
NB: I used Clip initially,
but that left a line, so I
swapped to extend
Under Mapping change;
Projection to Sphere
This maps the 2D image
to the 3d object.
7. This is an example
of the Earth with
just the surface
colouring.
TestRender1
8. In the Second texture
slot;
Create a new texture
Name it Topology
Set the type to Image or
Movie
9. Under Image Mapping
change;
Extension to Extend
Under Mapping change;
Projection to Sphere
10. Under the Influence
sub-section;
Untick color
Tick Normal
11. This is an example
of the Earth with
the surface
colouring and a
topology normal
map for the surface.
TestRender2
12. The procedure to add the
Bath map is the same as
the Topology map, but
Use Texture slot 3
Change the value in the
Normal map to -1
13. This is an example
of the Earth with
the surface
colouring, a
topology normal
map for the surface,
and a bath map for
the oceans.
TestRender3
14. Adding the cloud texture
is the same as the
Topology map, but
Use Texture slot 4
Tick Emit and change
the value to 0.5
Set Color to .4
15. Change the Horizon
Color to black
Tick the Environment
Lighting
Tick the Stars
Adjust the Star setting
as you choose
16. Extend the length of the animation to 360 frames
Add keyframes for rotation at
Frame 1
Frame 360
Set Z-Rotation to 360
17. This is a single
image, with clouds,
normal maps and
surface colours.
TestRender4
19. Hovering over the Graph
Editor window
Press A to select all
Press V to open the
vector context menu
And select Vector.
This will smooth the
Revolving of the Earth
Animation
20. Don’t forget to save
the output!
You should have a
360 frame
animation of the
Earth revolving.
Final Render
