To observe the Earth's surface for free and view satellite images online, you can use several applications. In Russia, two of them are most popular: Google Maps and Yandex Maps. Both services boast good quality high-resolution satellite images of most countries.
Yandex maps is an online application from Russian developers, so Russian cities are more accurately detailed in it. It has built-in functionality for viewing traffic load data (large settlements), demographic and geodata. Google maps contain no less high-quality satellite images of the territory of the Russian Federation, but data on land plots and traffic are available only for the USA.
View a map of Planet Earth from satellite online
Below you can see the Google map built into the site. For more stable operation of the plugin, we recommend using the Google Chrome browser. If you see an error message, please update the specified plugin and then reload the page.
Watch Google Earth from satellite, in real time online:
Another advantage of Google Maps is the presence of a client application for working with satellite images. This means that the service can be accessed not only through a browser, but also through a pre-downloaded program. It has many more opportunities for viewing and studying satellite images and working with a three-dimensional virtual globe.
A 3D satellite map from Google (a downloadable application, not an online version) allows you to:
- use a quick search for the desired objects by name or coordinates;
- take screenshots and record high quality videos;
- work offline (preliminary synchronization via the Internet is required);
- use a flight simulator for more convenient movement between objects;
- save “favorite places” to quickly move between them;
- view not only the Earth's surface, but also images of other celestial bodies(Mars, Moon, etc.).
Work with satellite maps Google can be done through a client application or browser. A plugin is available on the official page of the program that allows you to use an interactive map on any web resource. It is enough to embed its address in the site’s program code. For display, you can select either the entire surface or a specific area (you will have to enter the coordinates). Control - using a computer mouse and keyboard (ctrl+mouse wheel for zooming, cursor for moving) or using the icons indicated on the map (“plus” - zoom in, “minus” - zoom out, move with the cursor).
The Google Earth service in real time allows you to work with several types of maps, each of which reflects certain data on satellite images. It’s convenient to switch between them “without losing progress” (the program remembers where you “were”). Available viewing modes:
- landscape map from satellite (geographical objects, features of the Earth's surface);
- physical map(detailed satellite images of the surface, cities, streets, their names);
- schematic geographic map for a more accurate study of surface images.
The satellite image is automatically loaded at the point of approach, so a stable Internet connection is required for operation. To use Google Earth offline, you need to download an application for Windows or another operating system. Its operation also requires the Internet, but only for the first launch, after which the program synchronizes all the necessary data (satellite images of the surface, 3D models of buildings, names of geographical and other objects) after which it will be possible to work with the received data without direct access to the Internet.
What are Google Maps? This is a service that consists of several applications provided for free, and includes the mapping site Google Maps and a route planning program (Google Transit). Google Maps offers satellite views for many cities around the world and includes detailed diagram location of streets, houses, routes for traveling by public transport or car, a guide to various objects, etc.
Features of work
Google Maps is displayed in two variations:
- an ordinary traditional map (analogous to Mercator maps)
- and satellite images (not online, but taken a certain time ago).
The scale of the maps is also based on the Mercator projection, that is, it is constant and changes from the poles to the equator downwards.
Another separate project of the corporation is closely related to Google Maps - Google Planet, which corresponds to a globe on which the regions of the Earth's poles are clearly visible.
What locations are satellite imagery available for? Not for everyone, but only for big cities Russia, England, America, Canada and others.
Not all governments have approved such placement and use of images (since the placement of some objects that are clearly visible on maps can be used by terrorists to plan and carry out attacks).
That is why many objects on maps are shaded. Such “classified” objects include, for example, The White house or the Capitol.
Different places on satellite images are shown in different resolutions - the less populated the area, the less detailed it is. Also, some places in the pictures may be hidden due to cloud shadows.
Google Maps online
- switch to satellite mode- lower left corner;
- zoom in/out- lower right corner.
The company barely introduced new service, a wave of interest in satellite images has swept across the world.
The creation of websites began on which satellite images of interesting places, unusual architectural landmarks, stadiums, and man-made formations began to be freely available. Since 2008, the US Weather Service began using Google Maps to prepare its forecasts.
It should be noted that not all images were taken from a satellite - most of the images were obtained through aerial photography from a height of 300 meters.
Google Maps online maps make fairly extensive use of JavaScript. As the user moves around the map by dragging it, new areas are downloaded from the server and displayed on the page.
If the user is looking for specific objects, the search result is inserted into the sidebar, and the page itself does not require a reload. The location on the map is displayed dynamically via a red marker icon.
- In 2006 year the first version for mobile phones, and in 2007 a second version appeared. A service similar to GPS is used to determine the location of the phone.
- In 2008 year Google Maps could be used for Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian, BlackBerry, Java (from 2+), IOS (Apple), Palm OS (Centro+).
- In 2011 In 2018, the corporation announced that it provides mapping services to more than 150 million customers.
To allow owners of third-party sites to use Maps, Google announced in 2005 a free Maps API (Application Programming Interface) service.
The map can be placed on any website using this technology for interaction software. Today there are more than 350 thousand such sites around the world.
Three-dimensional terrain model in GIS "Panorama"
A three-dimensional terrain model in the GIS "Panorama" is a surface built taking into account the terrain, on which an image of a vector, raster or matrix map can be superimposed, and three-dimensional objects located on it corresponding to the objects of a two-dimensional map. It is a full-fledged three-dimensional map that allows you to select objects on the model in order to request information about the object, edit their appearance and characteristics. On the three-dimensional model you can see both above-ground and underground objects.
Creating a 3D Model
Creating a three-dimensional model does not require lengthy preparation; it is enough to have a two-dimensional map and a height matrix. Using these data, it is possible to construct a three-dimensional model of the relief of the selected area. For building volumetric model Taking into account the objects located on a given map, a library of three-dimensional images of objects is needed, which is added to the classifier of any map.
Together with the classifiers of electronic vector maps, libraries of three-dimensional images for various scales are supplied. To obtain a three-dimensional view of existing electronic maps, it is enough to connect one or more libraries to the classifier and assign a suitable image to the selected objects. If you need a more detailed and individual display of objects, you can create your own three-dimensional images using Symbol editor .
Building a 3D model
To build a three-dimensional terrain model, the following can be used: a vector map, a height matrix, a triangulation relief model (TIN model), a map classifier, a library of three-dimensional images of objects, digital photographs of the terrain and digital photographs of terrain objects. The composition of the source data can be different and depends on what type of model needs to be obtained.
Types of 3D terrain models
Typical three-dimensional models are created according to city plans, topographic maps or overview maps. Typical models contain terrain surfaces, buildings, road network objects, pipelines, wells, traffic lights, vegetation objects, hydrography and other objects of simple shape.
Building a standard model is the most in a fast way obtaining a high-quality three-dimensional terrain model. Typical models can be used for visual assessment of the relative position of objects, taking into account the features of the relief and their height (Figure 1.1), analysis of the relative position of power cables and pipelines for various purposes(Figure 1.2).
1. Detailed 3D models
Three-dimensional models of detailed views describe the terrain with objects, the appearance of which is customizable individually, and are created according to city plans. Detailed view models contain the terrain surface, typical objects and objects whose three-dimensional image approaches their real view on the ground (architectural buildings with entrances, pipes, elevator towers, design elements, etc.).
To set up models of detailed views of individual objects, you can use texture settings appearance through the semantic characteristics of these objects.
In the editor of the three-dimensional view of GIS "Panorama" objects, importing symbols from the VRML format is available, so some elements individual look objects can be created in third-party 3D editors and loaded into various display templates for these objects.
2. 3D models interior spaces
Three-dimensional models of interior spaces allow you to describe volumetric view interior and are created on the basis of floor plans (Figure 1.5).
When displaying three-dimensional models of interior spaces, individual objects and entire interiors can also be used, created in various programs for editing three-dimensional images in VRML format and imported into the library of three-dimensional images of the GIS "Panorama" vector map classifier.
3. Topic models
Thematic models are created from thematic maps and are used to design statistical diagrams. One example of using thematic model building technology can be the creation of a three-dimensional terrain model based on a map of the operational situation (Figure 1.8). Models imported from the VRML format and used to symbolically display map objects fit perfectly into the setting of a thematic map.
Google Maps and Google Earth are the most famous and popular mapping services in the world. They open the world to tens and hundreds of millions of people, making it more understandable and relatable. And now such maps will become more realistic - Google Corporation announced the transition Google Maps V three-dimensional format.
For many years now, the Google Street View online service has allowed us to see in three dimensions all the most interesting places world - city streets, the White House in Washington, the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
But Google recently announced an innovation that this mapping service will be equipped with. Thanks to this innovation, it will be possible to see in three-dimensional mode not only the streets of cities, but also these cities themselves as a whole.
This will happen thanks to the combination of satellite images, aerial photography and photographs from ground level. All these frames will be rendered in such a way that a complete 3D model of cities and buildings on their streets will be obtained.
Google promises that by the end of this year, everyone will more or less have their 3D models in the Google Maps service. big cities world, whose population is total amount is more than 300 million people. The main cities of Europe, America and Asia are already available in 3D format.
According to representatives of Google Corporation, their main goal in creating a three-dimensional service in Google Maps was the desire to provide users with the opportunity to look at the world from a bird's eye view. After all, every person dreamed of flying above the streets, and now this eternal dream person comes true. Albeit in virtual mode.
I have long wanted to write this post and tell you about Google maps. Surely you will say: “What’s special about them? Regular maps, with the ability to plot routes, use with GPS, information about the metro, city and street maps, etc.” All this has long become a familiar tool for us, but not everyone knows that Google Maps has an amazing opportunity that it’s simply a shame not to know about. This feature sets GoogleMaps apart from its other competitors and gives it a big lead. Intrigued? Then I begin the detailed story...
So meet...Google maps in 3D. Yes, yes... this means that now you will be able to see three-dimensional buildings, streets, roads, transport, etc. It’s worth noting that this feature has been around for a very, very long time. In Russia it is almost never used, since 3D maps are still available only to foreign countries and that's not for everyone. But as a short sightseeing tour of another country, they are absolutely brilliant.
If the speed of your Internet connection is below 512 Kbps, then using the service will be problematic.....of course, if you can wait for a long, long time...In general, you need a more or less high-speed connection =) Just in case, update the version of Adobe Flash Player http http://www.adobe.com/ru/products/flash/
Where to begin?
To begin with, of course, let's go to the website http://maps.google.ru
It must be said that the 3D maps function is very, very deeply hidden in the functionality of the maps. Finding them is not easy. For a long time I didn’t understand what to press and where to look.
So, enter the following into the search bar: 3D New York. A similar picture will appear
Next, to enter 3D mode, for example, click on the letter I. This is not important. Subsequently, you will be able to manage your location using the map. The main thing is to go into 3D mode. So, click I and then on “Street View”. By the way, if you see the phrase “Street View” anywhere else on Google maps, then you can view it in 3D mode
And so. The 3D mode is launched and you see a three-dimensional picture.
In the lower right corner there is a “little man” and a map. By moving the little man around the map, you can control your location. Attention, you cannot place it outside the blue area, since the 3D viewing area only includes the marked blue area on the map. Click on the corner of the mini-map. It will expand halfway across the screen. This makes it much more convenient to control the situation
If any place is unavailable in 3D viewing mode, then pictures corresponding to it will be displayed in its place
To switch to full-screen viewing mode (this is very, very convenient and the best way to use it) you need to click on the rectangle on the right at the top of the main map.
You can fully move around the city. Zoom in/out, read various signs, look at photographs, look at diagrams and symbols. What I really liked was that there was transport and people on the street. Even though it doesn't move, it still looks amazing. Very realistic picture a high resolution. Everything is very clear and distinguishable. You can also read various small text on signs and billboards.
Here is a map of the famous Time Square in New York.
The only thing I would like is a day/night switch. But this is nitpicking. Few people will need to look for any street in the middle of the night.
And now let's move from New York to Paris. Specifically to France. Google has also provided a 3D viewing mode for it. Let's enter: 3D Paris
Click on any street. Our goal is to find the coveted “Street View” inscription. So we found it. This is what it looks like for me
I think it's interesting. You can see everything here. Let's try to find the famous Eiffel Tower.
Here she is. Located on Ave. Gustave Efel. Let's try to watch it full screen. So it's much more interesting
The next stop will be in Japan. Enter the following: Japonya 3d tokio. Let's select some place and expand it to full screen mode.
As you can see, the quality of the picture is so high that you would think that this photo was actually taken in Japan.
Did you like it?
I think this little walk around the world was interesting for you. Never before have I been so engrossed in looking at maps. But it’s true, you can spend hours looking at all this beauty. It’s so interesting to see another city, almost in person, to walk along its streets, to see the architecture and nature. It's a pity that you can't watch Russian cities in 3D. For example, Moscow, St. Petersburg. Well, I think you can have fun without them. The main thing is not to get carried away. Virtual travel is very addictive. You won’t even notice how you will lose several hours of your time in search of something new and interesting. In general, go ahead to GoogleMaps.
Time Square in New York (Times Square) - the main crossroads of the world Don't forget to write in the comments about your impressions. See you again!