Free Image to 3D Sphere & Planet Generator
Convert any 2D photo, panoramic image, or graphic into an interactive 3D rotating globe. Features real-time WebGL orbit controls, surface bump depth relief, customizable solar lighting, atmospheric rim haze, and 4K/WebM exports.
Mastering 3D Sphere Projections & Celestial Texture Mapping
Everything you need to know about equirectangular spherical coordinate wrapping, normal bump extrusion, and in-browser WebGL rendering.
Equirectangular (2:1) UV Wrapping
In computer graphics, equirectangular projection maps standard latitude ($-\frac{\pi}{2}$ to $+\frac{\pi}{2}$) and longitude ($0$ to $2\pi$) into a rectangular grid with an exact 2:1 aspect ratio. NASA planetary maps, drone 360° panoramas, and VR environments use this standard to project seamless spheres without visible vertical seams.
Luminance Bump Relief Mapping
Rather than appearing as a flat ping-pong ball, PicDriver's vertex shader computes the luminance of the texture pixels in real time and extrudes surface vertices along their normal vectors. Bright highland craters and mountain ridges physically rise, creating photorealistic tactile topography.
Fresnel Atmospheric Scattering
Real planets exhibit a luminous halo at glancing angles due to atmospheric Rayleigh scattering. Using a mathematical Fresnel formulation ($\text{glow} = (1 - \vec{N} \cdot \vec{V})^{2.8}$), our fragment shader synthesizes physical planetarium atmospheres that illuminate accurately relative to your sun angle.
3D Projection Modes Compared
| Projection Mode | Best Input Image Types | Pole Behavior | Key Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equirectangular 360° | 2:1 Panoramas, NASA Maps, 360 Camera Stills | Seamless natural pinch | Planets, globes, virtual worlds, VR skies |
| Polar Projection | Circular logos, round artwork, fish-eye photos | Concentric ring map | Emblems, circular graphics, radar visuals |
| Mirrored Repeat | Square/Rectangular standard photographs | Mirrored edge blending | Abstract wallpaper orbs, crystal ball textures |
| Hemispherical Dome | Wide-angle photography, dome projections | Focused on front face | Planetarium domes, lens previewing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can upload any standard photo (JPG, PNG, WebP). When using a regular non-panoramic photo, select Mirrored Repeat or Polar Projection in the Projection dropdown to automatically blend edges without hard seams.
Simply click the Export 360° Video (WebM) button. PicDriver uses your browser's native GPU stream recorder to record one complete 360° rotational cycle at 60fps and automatically downloads a lightweight, high-definition .webm video file.
No. All 3D sphere geometry generation, WebGL shader execution, and video rendering run 100% locally inside your device's browser memory (GPU/RAM). No photos ever leave your computer or phone.