Summary (Summary adapted from Icosahedron Globe online information page)
How do you make a flat map into a world globe? The ancient Greeks figured out that there were just a few solid objects that could be constructed from certain flat, regular polygons (equilateral triangle, square, or pentagon): tetrahedron (4 triangles), cube (6 squares), octahedron (8 ... triangles), dodecahedron (12 triangles or 12 pentagons), and icosahedron (20 triangles). With each increase in the number of faces, the regular-sized solid looks more spherical. With 20 faces, the Icosahedron is the best "flat" sphere available.
Each face of the Icosahedron displays a part of the (nearly-spherical) Earth's surface as a flat map in the Gnomonic Projection, tangent at the centroid of the triangle. Folded so that adjacent triangles are joined exactly at their closest edges, the cut-out pattern forms the complete globe with the North and South Poles at opposite vertices. The relief of the continental surface and the sea floor is depicted by shaded colors representing the slope and elevation of the surface of the Earth. Overall size of an assembled globe is approximately 4.5 inches with each side of the individual triangles measuring 2.5 inches.
As a class project or a decorative pendant, the Icosahedron Globe will be an amusing and informative exercise. By the way, getting tape on the inside of the last open seam is an exciting challenge to the dexterity of the globe-builder! Super glue or derivatives as binding agents are definitely advised against (two sided tape is a good choice).
Quality This product is a visual representation of the Earth suitable for students, educators, mathematician, geologists and scientists of other disciplines.
Name:
ROBIN
R.
WARNKEN
Phone:
303 497-6338
Fax:
303 497-6513
Email:
Robin.R.Warnken at noaa.gov
Contact Address:
NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC
325 Broadway City:
Boulder
Province or State:
CO
Postal Code:
80305-3328
Country:
USA
Distribution Media
Distribution_Media:
Cardboard
Distribution_Size:
4.5 inches
Fees:
$.50 United States dollars
Personnel
TYLER
B.
STEVENS Role:
SERF AUTHOR
Phone:
(301) 614-6898
Fax:
301-614-5268
Email:
Tyler.B.Stevens at nasa.gov
Contact Address:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Global Change Master Directory City:
Greenbelt
Province or State:
MD
Postal Code:
20771
Country:
USA
PETER
W.
SLOSS Role:
TECHNICAL CONTACT
Phone:
303-497-6119
Fax:
303-497-6513
Email:
Peter.W.Sloss at noaa.gov
Contact Address:
National Geophysical Data Center
NOAA/NGDC E/GC3
325 Broadway City:
BOULDER
Province or State:
CO
Postal Code:
80305-3328
Country:
USA
Related URL
Link:
GET DATA
Description:
NOAA National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) has more relief
products and information such as posters, slide
sets, and digital global relief data on CD-ROM.
Link:
GET DATA
Description:
Global Relief Data & Images.
Creation and Review Dates
SERF Creation Date:
1999-11-18
SERF Last Revision Date:
2006-04-24
Links
