How to use the 3D Globe
- Spin the Earth. Drag left or right to turn it, drag up or down to look over the North or South Pole, and scroll or pinch to zoom. Double-click to come back to the start.
- Let it turn. Press Space or Spin to make it turn slowly by itself, west to east like the real Earth. It pauses while you drag and carries on afterwards.
- Show the lines. Press G for the latitude and longitude grid. The equator, tropics, polar circles and prime meridian are drawn in color with their names.
- Name and tilt. Press L to show or hide continents and oceans and T to tilt the axis 23.4°. In Settings, Turn to brings any region to the front.
Classroom ideas
- Seven and five: hide the names with L, spin the globe and have the class name each continent and ocean as it comes round. Show the names to check.
- Hot and cold: show the tropics and polar circles and ask where it is hot all year and where the Sun does not set in summer. Compare with the picture: deserts, rainforest, ice.
- Latitude bingo: with the 30° grid on, call out “between 30° and 60° North” and let pupils name a country or continent in that band.
- Why seasons? Turn the tilt off and on with T, and use a lamp as the Sun to show which hemisphere leans toward it in June and December.
- Where in the world? Put the globe next to the spin wheel on the Classroom Board with ocean names on the wheel, and race to find each one.
Keyboard shortcuts
| G | Show or hide the latitude and longitude grid |
| L | Show or hide the names of continents and oceans |
| T | Tilt the axis by 23.4° or stand it straight |
| A | Turn by itself on or off (same as Space) |
| F | Present full screen |
Frequently asked questions
Where does the picture of the Earth come from?
It is NASA’s “Blue Marble: Next Generation” image (December 2004, with topography and the sea floor), from NASA Visible Earth. NASA images are in the public domain. Clouds were removed, so you see the land and ocean floor clearly.
Why does the globe lean over?
The Earth’s axis is tilted about 23.4° from upright compared with its path around the Sun. That tilt causes the seasons and sets where the tropics and polar circles are. Press T to stand it upright for comparing.
Which way does it turn?
West to east, the same way as the real Earth: seen from above the North Pole it turns counterclockwise, which is why the Sun rises in the east.
What are the colored lines?
Red is the equator (0°), yellow the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (23.4° N and S), light blue the Arctic and Antarctic Circles (66.6° N and S) and green the prime meridian (0° longitude, through Greenwich).
What if my computer cannot show 3D?
The tool shows the same NASA picture as a flat world map, with the same grid, lines and names.
Updated October 31, 2026 · Free to use in any classroom, no account needed.