] Known as a rectangular projection, this map is one way of ] looking at the spherical Earth as a flat map. Both the ] size of continents and their shape get distorted as you ] move away from the equator. Compare this with a Mercator ] projection, which greatly distorts sizes in favor of ] keeping the shapes correct, or a Peters projection which ] distorts shapes but gives a true indication of relative ] size. ] ] Also available is a semi-realistic view of dawn and dusk ] from far above the Earth, a look at the moon, and ] information about how this works. On the same vein as the "world at night" photos, here are some cool maps the whole earth's surface. World Sunlight Map |