Scale Cube - 1cm Square

The 1cm scale cube is commonly used in the photography of meteorites.  The idea behind the NASA version it is to illustrate the size of a meteorite sample with respect to something known and with respect to orientation of viewing direction. The meteorites orientation has nothing to do with Earths geographic orientation, but only the orientation of the meteorite itself as defined by the author.  

  The cube has three equal dimensions perpendicular to each other,  representing the length , width and height,   since each meteorite also has a length, width and height. By observing both the meteorite and scale one can gather an idea about the size of the sample.  This can be accomplished without a fully annotated cube,or any other known object. Its simply  comparing their relative physical size.  

The orientation is   important for  understanding a series of photographs of various views  of the same sample .  The cube is annotated with a "T" and "B" corresponding to the Top and Bottom of the sample as defined by the author. The   "N", "S", "E",  and "W"  corresponding to the  North, South, East and West compass directions.  Since the actual four compass  directions do not make sense relative to a  meteorite,  directions such as left side, right side,  front and back   accomplish the same purpose,  but to me actually makes more sense.  The cube was designed  and used by NASA and adopted by meteorite collectors world wide.  To explain how to use the cube  correctly in photographs, its easier to understand if we use the  front, back , left side and right side idea.   

With the  six sided cube with its six corresponding annotations of Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front and Back,  the act of manually placing the scale cube   next to the object for photography is essentially  assigning all six views to the sample. What i commonly see in public is the orientation of the cube is moved to different locations for different photographs totally confusing the relative orientation of the sample. This appears to be done without regard for  the original orientation established by the first main photograph. 

Its easy to understand the concept  if the photographed object is an automobile.  It has a top sunroof, bottom undercarriage , and has a definite front headlights  and back tail and left driverside (US)  and right passenger side (US).  One would never orientate a cars orientation cube by 90 degrees or in any other way.   Since every meteorite is different and the  meteorite    has  an irregular  shape and can be oriented in any way,   its   orientation is commonly determined by its  author when photographed.  This may be the authors favored view which automatically defines all secondary  remaining views.

The T or TOP of the NASA scale cube is primary and is the only face with 1cm annotated on it.  When we set the cube down such that we can read the "T" Top, in a normal fashion,  we  notice the front face  (facing towards me) shows "S" for South.  With this orientation we are not viewing to the South but rather we are viewing to the North,   FROM the South.   The N,S,E,W, annotations  define  the direction the view is FROM.  Annotation of S views from the South to the  North, annotation of E views from the East to the WEST, Annotation of W views from the West to the East and annotation  of N is viewing from the North and towards  the South.  Using this system, one can know the view of the meteorite in the photographs if the cube is not rotated. It can be translated but not rotated. If the cube is rotated in the meteorite is disoriented confusing the viewer. In those  cases  I use the  meteorites physical shape to determine orientation when possible.  Viewers often are interested in viewing the meteorite from different vantage points. 

If your view is pure South  without any elevation you will only see the South face  displayed on the cube, viewing North.  If you elevate the view upward  you will see 2 faces, the South and the Top face.  If you rotate your view to the right  you will only see three faces  from that elevated view. Viewing that orientation  with a right rotation shows the South, East and Top face viewing  from the South East to the North West.    This is an oblique view from the South  West.  Elevated viewing from  the left,   shows the West, South and Top faces.  That view is from the South West viewing to the North East.  Images of oblique viewing is shown in the following page of a 2cm square wood cube I made for larger samples. 

In the above composite picture, the center view is a single annotated   2cm cube is photographed from directly above.  The Four surrounding oblique photographs are taken to show cube faces from those perspectives.  In photography , in general , the cube is kept  stationary and the photographer, changes his viewing directions.  

This is an exploded map view of the orientation cube.  It illustrates the  6 viewing directions corresponding to the 6 sides of the cube.   Technically it represents six viewing direction perpendicular to each face .   With elevation oblique viewing is made, where  the 2 primary faces and  the top face are visible .  Elevation and  azimuths other than 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees ,  are oblique showing three faces. 

A Schlumberger ROBOT with a fixed orientation cube is photographed from various azimuths illustrating the different exposed faces of the cube.