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Observación del cielo nocturno, localización de la principales estrellas y constelaciones. Movimiento de estrellas y del Sol. El zodiaco. Orientación nocturna.

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Esta página usa marcos, pero su explorador no los admite.

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Diagrama para explicar las fases lunares (en inglés). La página web muestra una tabla de las fases de la luna para un año completo y ofrece información sobre el ciclo lunar y cómo se calculan las fases. También presenta una breve descripción de cada fase lunar y su nombre común. Además, ofrece información sobre los efectos de la luna en la tierra, como las mareas y las tradiciones culturales relacionadas con las fases de la luna.

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Have you ever wondered what causes the moon phases? We all know that its appearance changes over time. But why? The good way to understand the phases of the moon is to examine an earth-moon-sun diagram:

©MoonConnection.com All Rights Reserved. This moon phases diagram is NOT public domain and may not be used on websites, copied, printed or republished except by permission. Please contact me for high resolution version available for small license fee.

Diagram Explanation

The illustration may look a little complex at first, but it's easy to explain.

Sunlight is shown coming in from the right. The earth, of course, is at the center of the diagram. The moon is shown at 8 key stages during its revolution around the earth. The moon phase name is shown alongside the image. The dotted line from the earth to the moon represents your line of sight when looking at the moon. The large moon image shows what you would see at that point in the cycle. For the waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent phases you have to mentally turn yourself upside down when imagining the line of sight. When you do this, you'll "see" that the illuminated portion is on your left, just as you see in the large image.

One important thing to notice is that exactly one half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun. Of course that is perfectly logical, but you need to visualize it in order to understand the phases. At certain times we see both the sunlit portion and the shadowed portion -- and that creates the various moon phase shapes we are all familiar with. Also note that the shadowed part of the moon is invisible to the naked eye; in the diagram above, it is only shown for clarification purposes. Finally, please realize this diagram is only meant to demonstrate how the phases work; the small inner moons in the diagram do not show the fact that the same side of the moon always faces Earth.

So the basic explanation is that the lunar phases are created by changing angles (relative positions) of the earth, the moon and the sun, as the moon orbits the earth.

If you'd like to examine the phases of the moon more closely, via computer software, you may be interested in this moon phases calendar software.

Moon Phases Simplified

It's probably easiest to understand the moon cycle in this order: new moon and full moon, first quarter and third quarter, and the phases in between.

As shown in the above diagram, the new moon occurs when the moon is positioned between the earth and sun. The three objects are in approximate alignment (why "approximate" is explained below). The entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we cannot see.

At a full moon, the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. The shadowed portion is entirely hidden from view.

The first quarter and third quarter moons (both often called a " half moon"), happen when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun. So we are seeing exactly half of the moon illuminated and half in shadow.

Once you understand those four key moon phases, the phases between should be fairly easy to visualize, as the illuminated portion gradually transitions between them.

An easy way to remember and understand those "between" lunar phase names is by breaking out and defining 4 words: crescent, gibbous, waxing, and waning. The word crescent refers to the phases where the moon is less than half illuminated. The word gibbous refers to phases where the moon is more than half illuminated. Waxing essentially means "growing" or expanding in illumination, and waning means "shrinking" or decreasing in illumination.

Thus you can simply combine the two words to create the phase name, as follows:

After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half, so it is waxing crescent. After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more than half, so it is waxing gibbous. After the full moon (maximum illumination), the light continually decreases. So the waning gibbous phase occurs next. Following the third quarter is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light is completely gone -- a new moon.

The Moon's Orbit

You may have personally observed that the moon goes through a complete moon phases cycle in about one month. That's true, but it's not exactly one month. The time required for the moon to move to the same position (same phase) as seen by an observer on earth is called the synodic period or lunation and it is 29.5305882 days on average (+/- 0.27 days due to the varying distance between the earth and the moon). If you were to view the moon cycling the earth from outside our solar system (the viewpoint of the stars), the time required is 27.3217 days, roughly two days less. This figure is called the sidereal period or orbital period. Why is the synodic period different from the sidereal period? The short answer is because on earth, we are viewing the moon from a moving platform: during the moon cycle, the earth has moved approximately one month along its year-long orbit around the sun, altering our angle of view with respect to the moon, and thus altering the phase. The earth's orbital direction is such that it lengthens the period for earthbound observers.

Although the synodic and sidereal periods can be used in certain calculations, the moon phase can't be precisely calculated by simple division of days because the moon's motion (orbital speed and position) is affected and perturbed by various forces of different strengths. Hence, complex equations are used to determine the exact position and phase of the moon at any given point in time.

Also, looking at the diagram (and imagining it to scale), you may have wondered why, at a new moon, the moon doesn't block the sun, and at a full moon, why the earth doesn't block sunlight from reaching the moon. The reason is because the moon's orbit about the earth is about 5 degrees off from the earth-sun orbital plane.

However, at special times during the year, the earth, moon, and sun do in fact "line up". When the moon blocks the sun or a part of it, it's called a solar eclipse, and it can only happen during the new moon phase. When the earth casts a shadow on the moon, it's called a lunar eclipse, and can only happen during the full moon phase. Roughly 4 to 7 eclipses happen in any given year, but most of them minor or "partial" eclipses. Major lunar or solar eclipses are relatively uncommon.

Moon Software

If you want to follow the phases of the moon, you should definitely take a look at QuickPhase Pro, our flagship moon software product for your personal computer. This attractive and fun software covers thousands of years of past and future moon phases and is easy to use.

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Have you ever wondered what causes the moon phases? We all know that its appearance changes over time. But why? The good way to understand the phases of the moon is to examine an earth-moon-sun diagram: ©MoonConnection.com All Rights Reserved.

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Información detallada sobre qué son los eclipses solares, cómo se producen, los diferentes tipos, cómo observar un eclipse solar de manera segura, historia de estos fenómenos y preguntas frecuentes. Además, la página también incluye información sobre el próximo eclipse solar y cómo y cuándo se puede observar.

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Introduction

What is an eclipse of the Sun? What causes eclipses and why? How often do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Sun? You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse's primer on solar eclipses. Before we learn more about the eclipses of the Sun, we need to first talk about the Moon.

Phases of the Moon

Phases of The Moon

The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:

New Moon > New Crescent > First Quarter > Waxing Gibbous > Full Moon >
Waning Gibbous > Last Quarter > Old Crescent > New Moon (again)

The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5 day period?

To many early civilizations, the Moon's monthly cycle was an important tool for measuring the passage of time. In fact many calendars are synchronized to the phases of the Moon. The Hebrew, Muslim and Chinese calendars are all lunar calendars. The New Moon phase is uniquely recognized as the beginning of each calendar month just as it is the beginning on the Moon's monthly cycle. When the Moon is New, it rises and sets with the Sun because it lies very close to the Sun in the sky. Although we cannot see the Moon during New Moon phase, it has a very special significance with regard to eclipses.

Geometry of the Sun, Earth and Moon During an Eclipse of the Sun
The Moon's two shadows are the penumbra and the umbra.
(Sizes and distances not to scale)

The Moon's Two Shadows

An eclipse of the Sun (or solar eclipse) can only occur at New Moon when the Moon passes between Earth and Sun. If the Moon's shadow happens to fall upon Earth's surface at that time, we see some portion of the Sun's disk covered or 'eclipsed' by the Moon. Since New Moon occurs every 29 1/2 days, you might think that we should have a solar eclipse about once a month. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen because the Moon's orbit around Earth is tilted 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun. As a result, the Moon's shadow usually misses Earth as it passes above or below our planet at New Moon. At least twice a year, the geometry lines up just right so that some part of the Moon's shadow falls on Earth's surface and an eclipse of the Sun is seen from that region.

The Moon's shadow actually has two parts:

1. Penumbra

The Moon's faint outer shadow.

Partial solar eclipses are visible from within the penumbral shadow.

2. Umbra

The Moon's dark inner shadow.

Total solar eclipses are visible from within the umbral shadow.

When the Moon's penumbral shadow strikes Earth, we see a partial eclipse of the Sun from that region. Partial eclipses are dangerous to look at because the un-eclipsed part of the Sun is still very bright. You must use special filters or a home-made pinhole projector to safely watch a partial eclipse of the Sun (see: Observing Solar Eclipses Safely).

What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse is an eclipse of the Moon rather than the Sun. It happens when the Moon passes through Earth's shadow. This is only possible when the Moon is in the Full Moon phase. For more information, see Lunar Eclipses for Beginners.

Total Solar Eclipse and Path of Totality

Total Solar Eclipses and the Path of Totality

If the Moon's inner or umbral shadow sweeps across Earth's surface, then a total eclipse of the Sun is seen. The track of the Moon's umbral shadow across Earth is called the Path of Totality. It is typically 10,000 miles long but only about 100 miles wide. It covers less than 1% of Earth's entire surface area. In order to see the Sun become completely eclipsed by the Moon, you must be somewhere inside the narrow path of totality.

The path of a total eclipse can cross any part of Earth. Even the North and South Poles get a total eclipse sooner or later. Just one total eclipse occurs each year or two. Since each total eclipse is only visible from a very narrow track, it is rare to see one from any single location. You'd have to wait an average of 375 years to see two total eclipses from one place. Of course, the interval between seeing two eclipses from one particular place can be shorter or longer. For instance, the last total eclipse visible from Princeton, NJ was in 1478 and the next is in 2079. That's an interval of 601 years. However, the following total eclipse from Princeton is in 2144, after a period of only 65 years.

2006 Total Solar Eclipse
A composite image reveals subtle structure in the Sun's corona.
(click to see more photos)

Awesome Totality

The total phase of a solar eclipse is very brief. It rarely lasts more than several minutes. Nevertheless, it is considered to be one of the most awe inspiring spectacles in all of nature. The sky takes on an eerie twilight as the Sun's bright face is replaced by the black disk of the Moon. Surrounding the Moon is a beautiful gossamer halo. This is the Sun's spectacular solar corona, a super heated plasma two million degrees in temperature. The corona can only be seen during the few brief minutes of totality. To witness such an event is a singularly memorable experience which cannot be conveyed adequately through words or photographs. Nevertheless, you can read more about the Experience of Totality in the first chapter of Totality - Eclipses of the Sun.

Scientists welcome the total eclipse as a rare opportunity to study the Sun's faint corona. Why is the corona so hot? What causes it to spew massive bubbles of plasma into space through coronal mass ejections? Can solar flares be predicted and what causes them? These major mysteries may eventually be solved through experiments performed at future total eclipses.

For amateur astronomers and eclipse chasers, an eclipse of the Sun presents a tempting target to photograph. Fortunately, Solar Eclipse Photography is easy provided that you have the right equipment and use it correctly. See MrEclipse's Picks for camera, lens and tripod recommendations. For more photographs taken during previous lunar eclipses, be sure to visit Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery. It's also possible to capture a solar eclipse using a video camcorder.

The total solar eclipse occurred on March 29, 2006 and was visible from Africa and central Asia. Fred Espenak led a Spears Travel tour to Libya to witness the event. You can see a collection of his photographs at 2006 Eclipse Gallery. Reports (with photos) from some of his earlier eclipse expeditions include 2001 Eclipse in Zambia, 1999 Eclipse in Turkey, 1998 Eclipse in Aruba and 1995 Eclipse in India.

The next two total eclipse of the Sun occur on: March 20, 2015 andMarch 09, 2016. Join Fred Espenak on aSpears Travel tour to witness one (or both!) of these spectacular events.

Annular Solar Eclipse and the Path of Annularity

Annular Solar Eclipses

Unfortunately, not every eclipse of the Sun is a total eclipse. Sometimes, the Moon is too small to cover the entire Sun's disk. To understand why, we need to talk about the Moon's orbit around Earth. That orbit is not perfectly round but is oval or elliptical in shape. As the Moon orbits our planet, its distance varies from about 221,000 to 252,000 miles. This 13% variation in the Moon's distance makes the Moon's apparent size in our sky vary by the same amount. When the Moon is on the near side of its orbit, the Moon appears larger than the Sun. If an eclipse occurs at that time, it will be a total eclipse. However, if an eclipse occurs while the Moon is on the far side of its orbit, the Moon appears smaller than the Sun and can't completely cover it. Looking down from space, we would see that the Moon's umbral shadow is not long enough to reach Earth. Instead, the antumbra shadow reaches Earth.

The track of the antumbra is called the path of annularity. If you are within this path, you will see an eclipse where a ring or annulus of bright sunlight surrounds the Moon at the maximum phase. Annular eclipses are also dangerous to look directly with the naked eye. You must use the same precautions needed for safely viewing a partial eclipse of the Sun (see: Observing Solar Eclipses Safely).

Annularity can last as long as a dozen minutes, but is more typically about half that length. Since the annular phase is so bright, the Sun's gorgeous corona remains hidden from view. But annular eclipses are still quite interesting to watch. You can read reports about the annular eclipses of 1999 in Australia, 2003 in Iceland, and 2005 in Spain. More recently, visit the 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery.

2005 Annular Solar Eclipse
This sequence shows the eclipse just before, during and after annularity.
(click to see more photos)

The "Oddball" Hybrid Eclipse

There's one more type of solar eclipse to mention and its a real oddball. Under rare circumstances, a total eclipse can change to an annular eclipse or vice versa along different sections of the eclipse path. This happens when the curvature of Earth brings different points of the path into the umbral (total) and antumbral (annular) shadows, respectively. Hybrid eclipses are sometimes called annular/total eclipses. The last hybrid eclipse was in 2013 and the next one is in 2023.

Solar Eclipse Frequency and Future Eclipses

During the five thousand year period 2000 BCE to 3000 CE, planet Earth experiences 11,898 solar eclipses as follows:

This works out to an average 2.4 eclipses each year. Actually, the number of solar eclipses in a single year can range from 2 to 5. Nearly 3/4 of the time there are 2 eclipses in a year. On the other hand, it is quite rare to have 5 solar eclipses in a single year. The last time it happened was in 1935 and the next time is 2206. Typically there is 1 total eclipse every 1 to 2 years. Although it is possible to have 2 total eclipses in a single year, it is quite rare. Examples of years containing 2 total eclipses are 1712, 1889, 2057 and 2252.

The table below lists every solar eclipse from 2019 through 2025. Click on the eclipse Calendar Date to see a global map showing where the eclipse is visible from. The Eclipse Magnitude is the fraction of the Sun's diameter covered by the Moon at greatest eclipse. For total and annular eclipses, this value is actually the ratio of the apparent diameters of the Moon to the Sun. The Central Duration lists the duration of totality or annularity at greatest eclipse. The link produces a table of geographic coordinates of the eclipse path. The last column is a brief description of the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. The descriptions in bold are for the paths of total or annular eclipses.
Geographic abbreviations (used above): n = north, s = south, e = east, w = west, c = central
For an extended version of this table, see: Solar Eclipse Preview: 2015-2030.

The last total solar eclipse visible from the continental USA occured on Aug. 21, 2017. A total solar eclipse was visible from Hawaii and Mexico on July 11, 1991. The next total solar eclipse visible from the USA occurs on and Apr. 8, 2024.

2006 Total Solar Eclipse
This Baily's Beads sequence shows both 2nd and 3rd Contact.
(click to see more photos)

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What is an eclipse of the Sun? What causes eclipses and why? How often do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Sun? You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse's primer on solar eclipses. Before we learn more about the eclipses of the Sun, we need to first talk about the Moon.

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Plataforma educativa sobre la geología y los recursos naturales de España. La página incluye secciones sobre los tipos de rocas, los volcanes, los terremotos, las montañas y los ríos de España. También ofrece juegos y actividades interactivas para que los niños aprendan de manera divertida y didáctica. Tiene como objetivo fomentar la educación y conciencia sobre la geología y los recursos naturales en los estudiantes.

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Zona infantil IGME – Instituto Geológico y Minero de España

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Web infantil del IGME Recursos educativos y divulgativos, sobre ciencias de la tierra (geología, paleontología, petrología, mineralogía,…): talleres para niños de verano y navidad en el Museo del IGME, material didáctico, actividades, juegos, videos, mascotas del IGME.

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Museo virtual de mineralogía que ofrece una amplia colección de fotografías e información sobre minerales y cristales de todo el mundo. Contiene información detallada sobre la composición, estructura y propiedades físicas de los minerales. Incluye secciones sobre la historia de la mineralogía y los métodos de extracción y procesamiento de minerales.

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Este website es el fruto de un Proyecto de Innovación Docente concedido por el Vicerrectorado de Formación Permanente e Innovación de la Universidad de Huelva (UHU) en su convocatoria de 2010/2011. Desde este portal se pretende proyectar el patrimonio mineralógico de la UHU en un entorno didáctico virtual, organizado mediante una estructura hipertextual que permite reunir textos e imágenes, incluyendo textos hipervinculados a bases de datos multimedia. El museo virtual se concibe también como un recurso didáctico complementario, para incentivar el trabajo de los estudiantes en las sesiones de prácticas y la visita presencial a la exposición permanente Tesoros Minerales de la UHU.

El espacio expositivo se distribuye en ocho galerías que corresponden a las clases mineralógicas usadas universalmente para clasificar los minerales, de acuerdo con criterios químicos y estructurales. En cada galería se describen brevemente las características generales de la clase y los datos específicos más relevantes de los ejemplares (especie, variedad, fórmula química, hábito, dimensiones y localidad de procedencia), seleccionados por su belleza, rareza o interés mineralógico. Los ejemplares proceden de diferentes yacimientos españoles y extranjeros, y en algunos casos de la localidad donde fue descubierto o descrito por vez primera. Así mismo se facilita el acceso a la información general de la especie mediante un enlace vinculado a las principales bases de datos mineralógicos.

Se trata de un espacio abierto y flexible, en permanente renovación, que se va actualizando con más herramientas informáticas y con la digitalización de nuevas piezas de colección, en buena parte procedentes de donaciones, que se muestran en la sección de últimas adquisiciones.

Juan Carlos Fernández Caliani

Prof. Titular de Cristalografía y Mineralogía
Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra
Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales
Universidad de Huelva
caliani@uhu.es
959 21 9820

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Museo Virtual de Mineralogia Universidad de Huelva

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Este website es el fruto de un Proyecto de Innovación Docente concedido por el Vicerrectorado de Formación Permanente e Innovación de la Universidad de Huelva (UHU) en su convocatoria de 2010/2011. Desde este portal se pretende proyectar el patrimonio mineralógico de la UHU en un entorno didáctico virtual, organizado mediante una estructura hipertextual que permite reunir textos e imágenes, incluyendo textos hipervinculados a bases de datos multimedia.

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El video de divulgación científica “Hidrogeología: la ciencia de las aguas subterráneas” presenta de forma didáctica el nacimiento de la hidrogeología como ciencia, explicando sus orígenes, sus bases científicas, cuál es su cometido en la sociedad y cuáles son las técnicas de estudio que emplea.

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Para realizar una excursión virtual por un lugar específico, como un monumento histórico, una reserva natural o una ciudad. Se puede estudiar la geografía del mundo y explorar características geográficas como ríos, montañas y desiertos. También se puede investigar sobre cambios en la superficie terrestre, como la deforestación, la urbanización o la erosión.

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La página web ofrece una gran cantidad de recursos gratuitos y prácticos para enseñar sobre ciencias de la Tierra a estudiantes de todas las edades. Incluye actividades prácticas, videos educativos y otros materiales didácticos, todo ello diseñado para ser utilizado tanto dentro como fuera del aula.

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Límites de MarsTM - divergentes, convergentes y transformantes
Límites de placas moviendo las manos
Los continentes ¿creéis que se han movido?
¡Los Himalayas en 30 segundos! Video
Magnetismo congelado
Metamorfismo -¿verdad que en griego significa cambio de forma?
Meteorización, la destrucción de las rocas
Meteorizando calizas - ¡con mi propio aliento!
¡Mira como corren! Porque algunas lavas se desplazan más legos y más rápidamente que otras
Modelando fallas - a mano
Montañas de margarina
Movimiento por rodamiento, saltación, flotación i invisible
Ondas en el fondo del tanque Video
Ondas en la arena Video
Paisaje cárstico - en 60 segundos
Peligro - ¡arenas movedizas!
Playas, ríos, dunas, montañas, llanuras - ¿qué capas se pueden conservar?
¿Por qué las rocas igneas tienen cristales de tamaños differentes?(ELI+)
¿Posición original o invertida? - modelando anticlinales y sinclinales a mano
Puntos calientes (ELI+)
¿Qué estructuras sedimentarias hacer?
¿Qué mueve las placas? Video didáctico
¿Qué mueve las placas? Las evidencias Video didáctico
¿Qué mueve las placas? En la tracción de losa ¿qué es lo que estira? Video didáctico
¿Qué mueve las placas? Un modelo de tracción de losa Video didáctico
¿Qué procesos naturales catastróficos han afectado vuestra zona en el pasado geológico?
¿Qué riesgos naturales pueden dañar el área donde vivís?
Separación de continentes - la apertura del Océano Atlántico Video
Simulando con las manos "cuando la roca más moderna no está encima"
Simulando discordancias - a mano
Simulando la geofísica de los sensores remotos (ELI+)
Simulando los esfuerzos tectónicos con sus manos
Simule el desplazamiento provocado por las fallas de transformación en los fondos oceánicos (ELI+)
"Todos los modelos son erróneos" - pero algunos lo son más: mecanismos de movimiento de placas
Un modelo de fusión parcial y las rocas reales
Un rio majestuoso en una pequeña canaleta
Un valle en 30 segundos Video
Un volcán en el laboratorio (ELI+)
Una aureola metamórfica en una lata
Una "pluma del manto" en un vaso de precipitados - pero no mueve las placas
Volcanes y diques / gelatina y crema de leche - diques radiales

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Límites de MarsTM - divergentes, convergentes y transformantes Límites de placas moviendo las manos Los continentes ¿creéis que se han movido? ¡Los Himalayas en 30 segundos! Video Magnetismo congelado Metamorfismo -¿verdad que en griego significa cambio de forma? Meteorización, la destrucción de las rocas Meteorizando calizas - ¡con mi propio aliento!

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Guía de los georrecursos de Andalucía que tiene como objetivo proporcionar información sobre la geodiversidad y su importancia como patrimonio natural. La guía describe la geología de la región y presenta una selección de los lugares más representativos, tales como formaciones rocosas, cuevas, fósiles y minerales.

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Esta web puede utilizarse para enseñar conceptos de visualización y análisis de datos geoespaciales a través de herramientas de software de código abierto como GMT y GeoMapApp. Tiene aplicaciones en campos como la geología, la oceanografía, la geografía, la climatología y otras disciplinas relacionadas con la geociencia.

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GeoMapApp is a Java desktop application and it must be downloaded to your computer. If you agree to the Terms of Use, download the file GeoMapApp.exe to your computer by clicking on AGREE below.

Displayed Maps, Images, and Data Tables are not to be used for Navigation Purposes.

Checksum SHA-1 and MD5 For GeoMapApp.exe:

SHA-1: c5d2dc84ce5cc15f6f1148a165736287968e74ce

MD5: 226df45a223dbacc401c281bd3bb8e2e

Minimum System Requirements:

Microsoft Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000, ME, or 98.

Java 8 (Java may be downloaded from here). Note that users with high-definition (high-DPI) displays will need at least Java 9 (download fromhere).

60 MB of free disk space.

512 MB of memory.

An internet connection for access to data.

This software is distributed for free and it contains no guarantees or warranties. The software was developed through contributions of NSF and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. None of the developers or supporters of GeoMapApp can be held responsible for problems that may occur from using this software. We are distributing it with the best of intentions and it contains no known harmful code. All users should read all information associated with software and agree to the statements issued here.

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GeoMapApp is a Java desktop application and it must be downloaded to your computer. If you agree to the Terms of Use, download the file GeoMapApp.exe to your computer by clicking on AGREE below. Displayed Maps, Images, and Data Tables are not to be used for Navigation Purposes.

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Herramienta interactiva en línea que permite a los usuarios explorar la historia de la Tierra desde su formación hasta la actualidad. Se puede ver cómo ha cambiado la Tierra en términos de temperatura, niveles de dióxido de carbono, presencia de oxígeno y otros factores ambientales importantes a lo largo del tiempo geológico. También se puede explorar la evolución de la vida en la Tierra y cómo ha sido influenciada por estos cambios ambientales.

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Herramienta interactiva que permite a los usuarios explorar la Tierra en diferentes períodos de tiempo geológico y ver cómo ha cambiado la superficie terrestre a lo largo de millones de años. Se puede seleccionar un período de tiempo geológico específico y visualizar cómo era la Tierra en ese momento. También permite explorar la ubicación de las placas tectónicas, los océanos y los continentes en ese momento, así como la presencia de montañas, ríos y otras características geológicas importantes.

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Visible Geology is an interactive online educational tool for visualizing 3D geologic block models. You can create your own topography and show the outcrop pattern of geologic beds, folds, dykes, or faults in seconds!

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Este recurso se enfoca en la actividad volcánica y sísmica del planeta Tierra y proporciona información detallada sobre estos fenómenos. Los estudiantes pueden utilizar esta herramienta para aprender sobre la geología de los volcanes, cómo se producen los terremotos y cómo los científicos estudian estos fenómenos para prevenir desastres naturales.

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Most new crust forms at ocean ridge crests, is carried slowly away by plate movement, and is ultimately recycled deep into the earth-causing earthquakes and volcanism along the boundaries between moving tectonic plates. Oceans are continually opening (e.g., Red Sea, Atlantic) or closing (e.g., Mediterranean). Because continental crust is thicker and less dense than thinner, younger oceanic crust, most does not sink deep enough to be recycled, and remains largely preserved on land. Consequently, most continental bedrock is far older than the oldest oceanic bedrock (see back of map).

The earthquakes and volcanoes that mark plate boundaries are clearly shown on this map, as are craters made by impacts of extraterrestrial objects that punctuate Earth's history, some causing catastrophic ecological changes. Over geologic time, continuing plate movements, together with relentless erosion and redeposition of material, mask or obliterate traces of earlier plate-tectonic or impact processes, making the older chapters of Earth's 4,500-million-year history increasingly difficult to read. The recent activity shown on this map provides only a present-day snapshot of Earth's long history, helping to illustrate how its present surface came to be.

Both the front and back of this map illustrate the enormous recent growth in our knowledge of planet Earth. Yet, much remains unknown, particularly about the processes operating below the ever-shifting plates and the detailed geological history during all but the most recent stage of Earth's development.

Simkin, T., Tilling, R.I., Vogt, P.R., Kirby, S.H., Kimberly, P., and Stewart, D.B., 2006, This dynamic planet: World map of volcanoes, earthquakes, impact craters, and plate tectonics: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series Map I-2800, 1 two-sided sheet, scale 1:30,000,000.

Sections of the map suitable for printing were created as PDF files when this map was first published in 2006. These files are no longer available because they do not meet Smithsonian accessibility compliance requirements.

However, free full-sized PDF files of the front and back of the map are provided by the USGS Store. Due to the large size, we recommend downloading them rather than opening them in a browser.

This page contains data that generated the printed and web versions of this map in 2006, not current data. All files are in tab-delimited text format.

Plate boundary data were plotted by Peter Vogt, Steve Kirby, and Paul Kimberly, based on data from DeMets (2002), Bird (2003), and other scientific literature. They are in lat/long ASCII text line files.

Web-based data sources, plus recommended sites for additional information.

The two-sided map sells for $9.00 per copy and can be ordered from the USGS Store. Shipping and handling fees may also apply.

Visitors to the National Museum of Natural History, 10th and Constitution, NW, in Washington, DC, may purchase maps from the gift shop.

For continuing support, understanding, and help - through the 5 long years of this project - we owe great thanks to our spouses. We also express our appreciation to the many colleagues, geoscience teachers, and students who provided thoughtful comments and helpful advice on how to improve the previous editions (1989, 1994) of our map.

Affiliations are those at time of contact, largely 2002-2003, and principal author contact for each helper is identified by initials in column to right.

Authors

Tom Simkin

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, 20560

Robert I. Tilling

U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, 94025

Peter R. Vogt

Naval Research Laboratory, Marine Physics Branch, Washington, DC, 20375 (presently affiliated with Marine Science Inst., Univ. of Calif. Santa Barbara; Smithsonian Institution; and Horn Point Environmental Lab)

Stephen H. Kirby

U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, 94025

Paul Kimberly

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, 20560

David B. Stewart

U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia, 20192

Cartography and Graphic Design

Will R. Stettner

U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia, 20192

Antonio Villaseñor

Institute of Earth Sciences "Jaume Almera," CSIC, Barcelona, Spain

Katharine S. Schindler

U.S. Geological Survey, National Center, Reston, Virginia, 20192

Paul Kimberly

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, 20560

Outstanding Help

Major Help

Specific Help

Website Help

Primary Responsibilities - Overall Map

Primary Responsibilities - Front of Map

Primary Responsibilities - Back of Map

Primary Responsibilities - Web Version
Interactive Maps (Main, Arctic, Antarctic)

Index Map: Toggle on/off. Shows selected area with respect to full map.

Zoom In (default mode): Drag cursor from one corner to another of the desired area or click on the center of the desired area. The map that is returned may not be the same shape. The maximum dimension of your rectangle is retained, and "bonus" area is added to give default square. In order to get a non-square shape, change the size/shape of the browser window before zooming. Some graphics (e.g. Notable numbers) continue to scale when zooming in and appear very large with respect to surrounding data.

Zoom Out: Click anywhere on map to zoom out by increments. Zoom out to full size by drawing a small box.

Pan (hand): Drag cursor in direction you want map area to shift.

Identify: To get data on a specific symbol, select its layer (from list at right margin) then click on symbol of interest. See below for explanation of data. In some cases the pop-up blocker must be disabled in order to view the "identify" results.

Get X-Y: Click on point of interest for its decimal latitude and longitude, N and E are positive (+) and S and W are negative (-).

Legend/Layers: Toggle to legend (for the best quality, print the main map legend via "printable pages."). To include (or exclude) a layer when constructing a map, check (or uncheck) that layer's box in the "Visible" list then click the "Refresh Map" button (most layers are visible by default). Unfortunately, earthquake depth groups cannot be selected as a layer independent of magnitude.

Print/Save: Opens a new window with the option to either print or save the current map view. Printing via the browser's print function has mixed results. On Windows machines you can also print the current view by selecting "Alt - Print Screen" and then pasting into an image processing program.

Other Elements (Front and Back)

Click on map or section of interest. To zoom in, select the "+" symbol at the bottom of the page, or click and drag the triangle above the "+" and "-" symbol controls to fine tune. Once zoomed in, navigate by selecting the arrows or dragging cursor. Zoom out by "-" symbol. Some are difficult to read, click on "printable page" for better resolution PDF files. Printable pages are best read with an increased zoom percentage.

The "printable page" PDF files are best viewed using Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or later with an optimal screen setting of 1024x768.

The Latitude/Longitude grid is 20° intervals when zoomed out beyond 1:20,000,000 and 5° intervals when zoomed in beyond 1:20,000,000. Grids labeled only at full map's margins: use "Get X-Y" tool to identify

"Identify" Data

Volcano: Elev = summit elevation above sea level; Lat/Long of volcano center in decimal degrees, N and E are positive (+) and S and W are negative (-); Erupted = last known eruption (see main legend); VNUM = number in Smithsonian data file.

Earthquakes: Date (Year, Month, Day); Time = UTC (GMT); Depth = kilometers below sea level; Mag = Magnitude; (see main legend). When selecting desired magnitude layer, beware scale changes of zoomed image - symbol sizes will not equal those shown in legend

Impact Craters: Age, in million years (Ma), with uncertainty; (see main legend).

Notable Events: 25 numbered events (see table); Red = volcanoes; Black = earthquakes; Purple = impact craters.

Boundaries

Divergent boundaries are not shown with line width proportional to spreading rate, as on published map (see legend)

Convergent boundaries, shown only on the interpretive map on the published map, are available here as an option. Beware, though, that many of these boundaries are broad, diffuse zones, rather than crisp, sharp junctions.

National boundaries, not shown on the published map, are an option here for geographic reference. When selecting this layer, it is a good idea to deselect the "coastlines" layer, to avoid overlapping coastlines.

Downloaded Earthquake Data

File sorted by date within individual magnitude ranges.

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Global Volcanism Program | This Dynamic Planet Map

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Most new crust forms at ocean ridge crests, is carried slowly away by plate movement, and is ultimately recycled deep into the earth-causing earthquakes and volcanism along the boundaries between moving tectonic plates. Oceans are continually opening (e.g., Red Sea, Atlantic) or closing (e.g., Mediterranean).

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Esta simulación permite a los usuarios explorar cómo se mueven las placas tectónicas y cómo esto puede llevar a la formación de montañas, volcanes y terremotos. Los usuarios pueden ajustar la velocidad y dirección del movimiento de las placas tectónicas, observar la actividad sísmica y volcanes en diferentes regiones del mundo, y ver cómo los procesos geológicos pueden afectar la topografía y los patrones climáticos.

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Explora cómo las placas se mueven sobre la superficie de la tierra. Cambia la temperatura, la composición y espesor de las placas. ¡Descubre cómo crear nuevas montañas, volcanes y océanos!

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Geolodía es una iniciativa promovida por la Sociedad Geológica de España que busca acercar la geología y la ciencia de la tierra al público general a través de excursiones gratuitas guiadas por geólogos en diferentes lugares de España. En esta web se pueden encontrar detalles sobre los eventos de Geolodía que se llevan a cabo en diferentes regiones de España, información sobre los geólogos que guían las excursiones, fotos y videos de ediciones anteriores, así como recursos didácticos sobre geología para todos los niveles. Además, la página también cuenta con un apartado para la inscripción a las excursiones.

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Geolodía es una iniciativa de divulgación en la que se realizan excursiones geológicas de campo guiadas por geólog@s, gratuitas y abiertas a todos los públicos.

Cada año se realiza un Geolodía por cada provincia el primer o segundo fin de semana de mayo. Los Geolodías tienen lugar en entornos de gran interés geológico y ofrecen una información sencilla pero rigurosa. Permiten ver esos lugares con "ojos geológicos" y entender cómo funciona la Tierra sobre la que vivimos y de cuyos recursos naturales dependemos. Quienes participan comprenden también el valor de nuestro patrimonio geológico y la necesidad de protegerlo.

Geolodía es una actividad organizada por la Sociedad Geológica de España (SGE), con la colaboración de la Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología - Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, la Asociación Española para la Enseñanza de las Ciencias de la Tierra (AEPECT) y con el patrocinio de numerosas entidades públicas y privadas.

En este artículo en inglés encontrarás una descripción más detallada de Geolodía.

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Geolodía es una iniciativa de divulgación en la que se realizan excursiones geológicas de campo guiadas por geólog@s, gratuitas y abiertas a todos los públicos. Cada año se realiza un Geolodía por cada provincia el primer o segundo fin de semana de mayo.

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Iniciativa educativa en línea que tiene como objetivo proporcionar recursos y materiales educativos sobre geología, mineralogía y paleontología de forma gratuita. Cuenta con una amplia variedad de recursos, incluyendo artículos, fotografías, mapas, vídeos, infografías y actividades prácticas, que abarcan diversos temas geológicos y paleontológicos, como la formación de montañas, los volcanes, los terremotos, la historia de la Tierra, los minerales y las rocas, y la evolución de los seres vivos a lo largo del tiempo geológico. También ofrece cursos en línea y talleres para profesores y estudiantes, así como información sobre eventos y actividades.

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Vídeo del Museo Geominero (Instituto Geológico y Minero de España. Explica el concepto de fósil y la fosilización.

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"Geobiodiversity", es una plataforma que se centra en la biodiversidad geológica y biológica. Su objetivo es difundir información sobre la biodiversidad y los procesos que influyen en la diversidad de especies, hábitats y ecosistemas.

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Artículo enlazado en el sitio web "Proyectando Biogeo".  Es una introducción a la formación y evolución del delta de Armshtadt-3 en el río Volga, Rusia, y a los factores que influyen en la formación y evolución de los deltas fluviales en general.

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Calendario: 4 semanas

Requerimientos técnicos: por equipo de 4 alumnos: 12m 2 de espacio exterior con tierra libre. 10 palillos de pinchos y 20 metros de cordel. Herramientas para cavar (azadas y palas). Pasta de modelar de secado rápido.

Dificultad: Media.

Productos parciales y final: Fichas de análisis de yacimientos, evidencias y Presentación Oral Científica, Museo Escolar.

Criterios de evaluación LOMCE

Bloque 1. La evolución de la vida

Bloque 2. La dinámica de la Tierra

3. Interpretar cortes geológicos sencillos y perfiles topográficos como procedimiento para el estudio de una zona o terreno.

5. Reconocer y datar los eones, eras y periodos geológicos, utilizando el conocimiento de los fósiles guía.

12. Analizar que el relieve, en su origen y evolución, es resultado de la interacción entre los procesos geológicos internos y externos.

Bloque 4. Proyecto de investigación

1. Planear, aplicar, e integrar las destrezas y habilidades propias de trabajo científico.

2. Elaborar hipótesis, y contrastarlas a través de la experimentación o la observación y argumentación.

3. Discriminar y decidir sobre las fuentes de información y los métodos empleados para su obtención.

4. Participar, valorar y respetar el trabajo individual y en grupo.

5. Presentar y defender en público el proyecto de investigación realizado.

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Descripción: Los alumnos crean e investigan yacimientos arqueológicos usando como marcos interpretativos las características de las distintas etapas de la evolución humana. En una primera etapa, grupos de expertos crean los marcos interpretativos, investigando cada uno un tipo de evidencias

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Artículo enlazado en el sitio web "Proyectando Biogeo". Es una introducción a la historia geológica del supercontinente Gondwana, su formación y su posterior división en varios continentes separados, y las implicaciones de esta división en la evolución de la vida en la Tierra.

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Se propone a los alumnos descubrir cuáles han sido los movimientos de los distintos continentes de un planeta imaginario y dónde estan situados (y de qué tipo son) los límites de las placas tectónicas. Los alumnos parten de evidencias de distintos tipos (distribución de fósiles, cadenas montañosas de distintas épocas, zonas volcánicas y sísmicas, tipos de rocas, etc...) que deben analizar para extraer conclusiones parciales que deben integrar para reconstruir un modelo mental de la evolución y estructura tectónica del planeta a lo largo de distintas etapas geológicas (proterozoico, paleozoico, mesozoico, cenozoico). A lo largo de la secuencia, los alumnos alternan distintas organizaciones de aula para promover la comunicación y la discusión a partir de pruebas. Com producto final, elaboran un vídeo de divulgación científica explicando el modelo resultante con el que explican las evidencias, que incluya también una predicción de futuros eventos tectónicos en el planeta.

La actividad requiere razonamientos similares a los usados por Wegener, el científico que originalmente propuso la deriva continental y la tectónica de placas.

Etiquetas: Dorsal, Fosa Oceánica, Límites Constructivos/Destructivos/Transformantes, Deriva Continental, Tectónica de placas, Valle de Rift, cadena de islas volcánicas, orógeno, paleomagnetismo.

Publicación relacionada:

Una secuencia didáctica de modelización, indagación y creación del conocimiento científico en torno a la deriva continental y la tectónica de placas. Revista Eureka sobre Enseñanza y Divulgación de las Ciencias (2015), 12(1), 186-197. J. Domènech-Casal

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Descripción Se propone a los alumnos descubrir cuáles han sido los movimientos de los distintos continentes de un planeta imaginario y dónde estan situados (y de qué tipo son) los límites de las placas tectónicas. Los alumnos parten de evidencias de distintos tipos (distribución de fósiles,

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"El día en que murió el Mesozoico" es un recurso educativo que ayuda a los estudiantes a comprender cómo un evento catastrófico hace millones de años llevó a la extinción masiva de los dinosaurios y otros organismos en el Mesozoico.

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This film tells the story of the scientific quest to explain one of the greatest, long-standing scientific mysteries: the sudden disappearance of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period.

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Web del IGME. Se puede acceder a la cartografía geológica digital de España en formato digital. Permite ver mapas interactivos y explorar diferentes regiones de España para obtener información detallada sobre su geología.

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MapasIGME - Portal de cartografía del IGME: Cartografía geológica

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Muestra la disposición sobre la superficie del terreno de los diferentes tipos de rocas, agrupadas por sus características litológicas y edad, así como sus relaciones geométricas.

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Blog y vídeos de un profesor de secundaria sobre cortes y mapas geológicos