Globe

geography · maps · Earth models

Spheres show truth. Globes are shaped like balls, just like Earth really is. Unlike flat maps, they don't stretch or squeeze continents and oceans out of shape, so they show you where things really are.

Maps flatten things. When mapmakers try to put a round planet onto flat paper, they have to stretch some areas and shrink others. A globe avoids this problem entirely by staying round.

Two main types. A terrestrial globe models Earth with all its continents and oceans. A celestial globe maps the stars and constellations in the night sky.

Sized down perfectly. Globes scale down our giant planet to something you can hold in your hands. This makes the real world small enough to study and understand.