What you need to know
- NVIDIA created an incredibly accurate rendering of the moon landing using ray tracing.
- The project has taken five years to complete.
- Ray tracing allows rendering of light on each pixel of an image in real-time.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, NVIDIA created an incredibly accurate rendering of the moon landing using ray tracing technology. Ray tracing can render lighting on a variety of surfaces in real-time. NVIDIA shares how it completed the project in a recent blog post.
Ray tracing focuses on light and reflection. It allows artists and programmers to accurately depict shadows, light, and reflection in real-time. In the moon landing recreation, you can see light bouncing off several surfaces, including helmets, ladders, and the ground. NVIDIA points out that recreating a scene like this would normally take hours or days without using ray tracing technology. Comparatively, it can be rendered in real time using ray tracing.
NVIDIA created 11 still images and a film recreating the moon landing. They spoke with Buzz Aldrin about the landing and showed him the footage and images. Considering that Aldrin is one of the only humans to ever land on the moon, he is uniquely qualified to judge the realism of NVIDIA's renders.
Portable (and affordable) power accessories we love
Each and every one of these charging gadgets will keep your favorite gear and gadgets going for longer, and none of them costs more than $30.
VisionTek 8,000 mAh micro-USB power bank ($13 at Dell)
This compact dual-output powerbank can speedily recharge any and all your devices, thanks to a two-amp "fast charge feature," using its micro-USB out port. Its simple design includes an LED indicator, and it costs about as much as a single ticket to the movies.
Panasonic eneloop AA batteries (From $13 at Dell)
Panasonic's rechargeable batteries are among the best available, and just a couple of them will keep your favorite remote, mice or other peripherals powered up when you need them. They're also eco. And the company's affordable charger fits and charges both AA and AAA batteries at the same time.
Belkin Qi Wireless Charging Pad ($30 at Dell)
This unobtrusive Qi wireless charging pad looks good (and kind of like a UFO …) and easily charges all your Qi-compatible device up to 5W. Its LED indicator lights up when you're charging. And it costs just $30.
