Jupiter and Earth Rotation Comparison - An interesting perspecive on the relative rotation speeds of Earth and Jupiter. Earth rotates once in 24 hours; Jupiter once in about 9.5 hours. The surface of Earth at the equator is rotating at about 1000 miles per hour, while Jupiter's equatorial cloud-tops are moving nearly 28,000 miles per hour. In this animation both Earth and Jupiter are at their actual relative sizes and obliquity.

Earth's Moon vs. Ganymede - This animation puts Earth's moon next to Jupiters moon Ganymede, the largest in the solar system. It begins with a brief view of the lunar orbit around Earth. Then pauses the orbital motion to show Ganymede beside the moon. Finally, the camera flys through the Jovian system to show all four Galilean satellites orbting around Jupiter.

Snowball Earth Melting - Some 600 million years ago geologists believe that the surface of Earth may have been completely encased in ice, a condition referred to as the "Snowball Earth." This is animation represents a "Snowball Earth" melting to its present climate. Present day elevation data as well as continental distribution are used.

Snowball Earth Freezing - Similar to the above animation but with Earth freezing over rather than melting.

Full Moon – This animation fixes the moon in its orbit at the full phase. This occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, lighting up the full face of the Moon from our perspective on Earth.

New Moon – This animation fixes the moon in its orbit at the new phase. This occurs when the Moon is on the same side of Earth as the Sun, lighting up the far face of the Moon from our perspective on Earth.

First Quarter Moon – This animation fixes the moon in its orbit at the first quarter phase. This occurs when the Moon is 90° past the new phase, in the counter-clockwise direction. From our perspective on Earth we see only half of the face lit by the sun (or a quarter of the moon).

Third Quarter Moon – This animation fixes the moon in its orbit at the third quarter phase. This occurs when the Moon is 270° past the new phase, in the counter-clockwise direction. From our perspective on Earth we see only half of the face lit by the sun (or a quarter of the moon).

All Four Phases – A combination of the previous four animations, with a moon fixed at each of the primary phases..

Lunar Orbit and the Ecliptic - This animation uses a translucent blue plane to represent the plane of Earth's orbit around the sun. Eclipses can only occur when the moon is crossing this plane. At other times the shadows of Earth and the moon do not line up.