Lunar 3D Fun

[Luke]

Hi folks,

Some of us in the solar section have been playing around with combining solar images with 3D software. I had a go too here. And it reminded me that one day I'd like to use some of my lunar images with 3D software to create some kind of different perspective. So here's my first play to explore if it might lead somewhere. If you've done any 3D images of your own using your captures please feel free to add them below!

[NadrejN]

Very interesting idea.

Used to do some 3D engine programming years back and this just makes me giggle like a small child and ashamed at he same time, to have never thought of it.

[Blazar]

Wow Luke thats amazing. so you now need to do a tutorial on how do try it out ;-) Mind you I still want to have a go at solar!

[Kbramley]

Great result, really adds depth to the image , love to know how its done

Keith

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice. Does this use some shape-from-shading approach?

[Blazar]

now all we need is a 3D printer to print your images off ;-) think that software is quite costly!

[Davey-T]

Pretty amazing Luke but I think purchasing the software could be grounds for divorce. 

Dave

[p1taylor]

Luke that is really amassing, just whish I had that program. 

peter

[Luke]

Thanks, all! A bit hard to explain the steps in a few words but I hope the screenshot gives an idea. I rendered a little patch in the Perspective View so you can see part of the rendered effect.

I created a material that has the lunar image as the Colour and also as the Displacemement. I put this material onto a lightly curved 3D surface. When the surface is rendered it gets finely subdivided and parts of the surface are raised or lowered by the Displacement settings depending on the brightness of the lunar image. I used "ambient occlusion" which helps to pick out the little grooves, dips, etc, it sort of blocks light off from reaching the less exposed parts of the surface.

I have a few other ideas to try, it's very powerful software with a  bunch of different ways to do things. I'm thinking of adding a Death Star. Okay, I'm kidding about that last bit