Moon Calendar 3D Explorer vs Moon Phases 3D Explorer
Learning calendar dates, earthshine, and libration takes one page load in the Moon Calendar 3D Explorer - 0 MB installed, USD 0, no account. The Moon Phases 3D Explorer shows Sun-Earth-Moon geometry to teach why phases happen but does not emphasize earthshine or libration on a calendar view.
The numbers side by side
| Aspect | Moon Calendar 3D Explorer | Moon Phases 3D Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Install size | 0 MB - runs in the browser | 0 MB - runs in the browser |
| Time to first view | Seconds - one page load | Seconds - one page load |
| Price | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Works on a phone | Yes - single Moon view | Yes - Sun-Earth-Moon layout |
Where Moon Calendar wins
Everything runs locally with WebGL. For teaching calendar-to-phase literacy - synodic month 29.53 days, earthshine on the dark limb, libration +/-7.9 degrees longitude and +/-6.7 degrees latitude, and 59 percent surface visibility over time - it is the focused route. The calendar day slider and libration toggle sit on one Moon; Moon Phases keeps the Sun-Earth-Moon triangle for geometry intuition.
Where Moon Phases wins
Moon Phases 3D Explorer wins when you need to show why phases happen - the Sun-Earth-Moon angle drives the lit hemisphere, with sidereal vs synodic month figures in the panel. It answers "what geometry causes a crescent?" rather than "what phase name matches day 7 of the month?"
A reasonable rule
Use Moon Calendar for date-and-phase literacy, earthshine, and libration in under a minute; use Moon Phases for the geometry lesson; use a planetarium app for tonight's sky. The NASA figures in the panel - 29.53 days synodic, +/-7.9 degrees longitude, +/-6.7 degrees latitude, 59 percent surface - stay accurate either way.
See when to use Moon Calendar 3D Explorer for session fit.
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