【War Archives】

The War Archivesmoon may be 238,900 miles away from Earth, but with a new lunar model and accompanying AR app, it might as well be in the palm of your hand.

AstroReality, a Bay Area-based startup whose co-founder is an astro-photographer, is creating hand-painted, 3D-printed moon models to bring the moon's surface down to Earth.

SEE ALSO: 15 best items for those who are obsessed with outer space

The Lunar Pro is a softball-sized, one-pound orb that recreates the moon and all its craters, edges, and other topography based on NASA's lunar orbiter data. It's made at a resolution of 4,000 DPI, which is incredibly precise. It's then molded with a poly resin material that is hand-painted to mimic what the moon looks like. It comes shockingly close.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

With a free AR app from your phone, you can hone in on famous landmarks, like the Apollo landing site or the Mare Marginis plain, dead volcanoes, craters, seas, and lava flows. As you spin the moon on its stand, more facts, photos, and other locations pop up on the app.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

"The moon comes to life," AstroReality head of marketing and lead producer Joanne Dai said while demonstrating how the model and app work.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The app tracks the model in real-time, similar to how Snapchat's filters track your face so you can vomit rainbows and wear a flower crown. There are 900 landmarks scattered throughout the model, complete with facts and trivia.

Dai wants space enthusiasts and home astronomers who are accustomed to looking at the moon through a telescope to use the model to get even closer to the moon's surface. She also wants the model to be used as an educational tool — especially as more features come to the app, like simulated missions.

The online crowdfunding campaigns kicks off Tuesday (that link will go live then) with packages for the Lunar Pro starting at $179 for early backers. A mini lunar model and a full outer space collection are also available as perks. The 3D model is expected to be delivered by the end of November -- just in time for the holidays for any moon-obsessed people you know. First, the startup is aiming to raise $50,000 to produce the moon models.

Shoot for the moon.

---

Featured Video For You

---

---

• Games
• Tech
• Digital Culture
• Life
• Entertainment
• Science
• Shopping
• Deals

• Ready to Strike
• The brain interprets sarcasm in emoji the same way as verbal communication, study shows
• Instagram will soon work offline on your Android phone
• A French presidential candidate held 7 rallies at once with this technology
• Misclassified Information
• Scott Pruitt's signature reads as 'penis' and no, we are not exaggerating
• 'Captain Marvel' finds its directors. Yes, that's 'directors', plural
• Wingman is the dating app that lets you play matchmaker for your friends
• An Evil Medium
• Genius pet owner turned old

• Alphabet folds Nest into Google to better take on Amazon Alexa
• Star Wars is still mostly white dudes behind the camera
• How the cryptocurrency market will recover
• What you need to know to enjoy curling at the 2018 Olympics
• Will Smith recreates Jaden's 'Icon' video marking 100 million streams
• Fergie clarifies her story after she said she was bit by Quentin Tarantino on a film set
• 10 things we just learned about Apple HomePod
• Chrissy Teigen also hates the new Snapchat update, so maybe there's hope
• Apple HomePod repair costs $280 if you don't buy AppleCare+
• Facebook looks to be testing comment downvotes

• Saviors, Killers, Profiteers
• Facebook's top VR researcher explains why augmented reality is the future
• Indonesian domestic workers are picking up coding skills on their days off
• Facebook: Real AR glasses are at least 5 years away
• Social Justice Tourism
• Malaysia Airlines becomes first airline to track fleet with satellites
• 'Captain Marvel' finds its directors. Yes, that's 'directors', plural
• Why Trump's latest speech is a big deal for Silicon Valley
• NASA just revealed the wild spots it'll land astronauts on the moon
• This hologram David Attenborough is here to teach you all about nature

• The Cry of Alice
• Of course Taika Waititi cameos as a huge stone alien in 'Thor: Ragnarok'
• Kim Kardashian called the flu 'an amazing diet' and, well, you can guess what happened
• We’re about to test out hacking the Earth’s climate. That should scare and inspire you.
• Nobody’s Ally
• The gender pay gap starts with your college major
• We’re about to test out hacking the Earth’s climate. That should scare and inspire you.
• Please enjoy all the creative ways these students have managed to waste time
• Seen and Unseen
• Marvel (quietly) at the top eight most beautifully designed libraries