Marianne J. Dyson

Moon Maps

The animated Moon Map required the use of a Flash plug-in that is no longer being supported by Adobe, and which most Browsers now block for security reasons. I will try to find someone to convert the map to HTML5, but until that happens, please use the maps in my books or use the following links to locate lunar craters, seas, and mountains.

Near Side

Major features are labeled on this map which was created for Welcome to the Moon. Copies are free to schools that qualify for a Giant Moon Map from the Aldrin Family Foundation/ShareSpace. Copies may also be ordered from me or Amazon through my Book Orders page.

Find the six Apollo landing sites (labeled with mission numbers 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17), connect the dots, and remember their locations by drawing a letter N (for Nose!) on the Moon!

NASA map of the lunar Near Side.

Far Side

Here is an LRO image with just a few labels to get you started!

The only NASA map of the far side with features marked is pretty hard to read!

This section of the Far Side is centered on Tsiolkovsky Crater in the southern hemisphere between 90 and 150 degrees longitude. (See dark spot on lower left in map above. This is the section out of view but adjacent to the Sea of Crises and the Southern Sea on the Near Side.)

Thank you Wikipedia.

Lunar Mapping Activities

  1. Test your lunar geography skills! Look for 18 "water" features and 31 craters on the Near Side of the Moon. How about 8 Near Side mountain ranges? Look for 5 water features, 2 mountain ranges, and 32 craters on the Far Side. Which ones did you miss? Check the list: Lunar Features Table
  2. Near Side Moon Crossword Puzzle. Download and print out a copy using Adobe Acrobat Reader (free from adobe.com). This puzzle is copyrighted and may only be printed for personal use. Please send e-mail to Marianne for permission to print multiple copies for classroom use. Download Moon Puzzle
  3. Use the Moon maps to solve the puzzle, then check your answers: Moon Crossword Solution
  4. Imagine what it would be like to live on the Moon! Read the short story "The Right Path" (see Book Orders), Welcome to the Moon, or Home on the Moon, and write YOUR lunar story.
  5. Photograph or sketch the full Moon and label the major features using the Moon Maps above. Can you find the six Apollo landing sites?

Welcome to the Moon


book by Marianne Dyson This book covers 1) How the Moon formed, how it moves, and what previous human and robotic explorers discovered; 2) What resources and features the Moon offers today, revealed through new scientific maps and missions; 3) The challenges of transporting crew and cargo to the Moon, and; 4) The value of the Moon and its resources in creating a future without limits for all of humanity! Welcome to the Moon is targeted for middle school students and up. Classroom sets included with ShareSpace's Giant Moon Map.

Order Welcome to the Moon print or eBook from Amazon.

To the Moon and Back


book by Marianne Dyson In celebration of the Apollo 11 Mission's 50th Anniversary, experience the awe and excitement of humankind's first steps on the Moon! In this exclusive, exquisite pop-up adventure, readers follow astronaut Buzz Aldrin's story as he encounters the "magnificent desolation" of Earth's only satellite firsthand. Paper engineer Bruce Foster and author Marianne Dyson put Aldrin's firsthand accounts of his training and experiences into historical context with stunning images and stories. Aldrin's daughter added her unique personal perspectives. To the Moon pop up Amazon link
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