About Moonfall

The story behind the most realistic planetary impact simulation on the web.

Who Built This

Moonfall Simulator is the creation of a dedicated independent developer with a deep passion for astronomy, physics, and interactive web technology. What began as an experiment to learn the capabilities of Three.js evolved over hundreds of hours into one of the most immersive and visually striking space simulations available online.

Every element of this simulation — from the photorealistic Earth rendered with NASA's Blue Marble imagery to the real-time weather integration and the cinematic multi-phase destruction sequence — was built with meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to creating an experience that is both educational and breathtaking.

Why Moonfall Exists

The project was born from a single, fascinating question: "What would it actually look like if the Moon collided with Earth?" Rather than simply imagining the answer, the decision was made to build it. Moonfall allows anyone — students, educators, space enthusiasts, or the simply curious — to explore this hypothetical scenario in a way that no textbook or video can replicate.

By combining genuine NASA planetary textures with live environmental APIs and scientifically informed destruction phases, Moonfall bridges the gap between accurate planetary science and engaging, accessible entertainment.

Technology That Powers the Simulation

Moonfall is built entirely with open-source and freely available technologies:

• Three.js — The industry-standard WebGL library for stunning 3D graphics at 60 frames per second
• NASA Planetary Textures — High-resolution surface maps from NASA's Blue Marble and planetary exploration programs
• OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) — Geocoding service that converts city names to precise global coordinates
• Open-Meteo API — Real-time weather, temperature, wind speed, humidity, and air quality data
• Cloudflare Pages — Global content delivery network ensuring fast load times worldwide
• Custom GLSL Shaders — Hand-written graphics programs for atmospheric effects

How the Simulation Works

• Step 1: Click anywhere on the 3D Earth globe or search for a specific city to place a red target marker
• Step 2: Press the launch button to begin a 60-second countdown
• Step 3: Watch as real weather data updates, red fracture lines spread across the surface, and asteroid showers begin bombarding the impact zone
• Step 4: At 15 seconds, the Moon detaches from its orbit and accelerates toward the target with cinematic precision
• Step 5: Witness the final cataclysmic impact — Earth and Moon shatter into over 10,000 glowing debris particles

Contact & Support