Missoula’s Montana Natural History Center – One planet: Digital globe illustrates Earth’s systems in revolutionary way

At the Montana Natural History Center last week, climate scientist Steve Running told some 50 people about one of his favorite examples of what he calls "serendipity science."

Before him, a digital globe, called a Magic Planet, illuminated the room, showing Earth spinning, city lights aglow on the continents.

"When our satellites orbit, half the orbit is on the sunny side of the Earth, and the other half is in the dark," Running said. "And the orbit is about 90 minutes long, 45 minutes in the light and then 45 minutes in the dark. We used to just throw away the night stuff."

LUCY TOMPKINS [email protected]

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