If you haven't checked out Google Earth, you MUST

Rombaldi · Post by **Rombaldi** » 07-01-2005 02:44 AM

If you have a broadband connection (well, it could work on dialup, but would take forever) you MUST head over to

http://earth.google.com/

and download Google Earth.

This is the most AMAZING piece of FREE (as in BEER, FREE) software I've ever seen. Imagine a hi-res instantally searchable atlas of the earth with detail for more places in STAGGERING detail.

I'm going to append a few ImageShack links to this message thread, but be warned, they are LARGE IMAGES, but when you see them....

FIRST.. let's take a look at the Houston Area near the Johnson Space Center....

see down in the corner where it says the elevation is around 30,000 feet??? See the little square that says 'Saturn V'???

DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!

The last of the Mighty Saturns.....

(more to come)

Rombaldi · Post by **Rombaldi** » 07-01-2005 02:51 AM

Now, let's go out the the Tuscon area...

man, that's a big piece of empty land near that housing...

waitaminute... that's not empty....

row after row after row... sitting there in mothballs... except for a few sad cases...

Rombaldi · Post by **Rombaldi** » 07-01-2005 02:53 AM

Now, Edwards AFB.... see the compass rose in carved in the sand??

hey, waitaminute... what's those two black dots in front of that hanger???

Blackbirds singing in the dead of night.....

Rombaldi · Post by **Rombaldi** » 07-01-2005 02:58 AM

Now, here's the real trip of the program...

we are now looking DOWN on the south rim of the Grand Canyon...

but that's no fun... let's TILT THE CAMERA BACK and take a look to the WEST..

then swing around the the NORTH

that's right, full 3D topo data, you can set an elevation and FLY right thru the canyon...

You gotta try this program.

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 07-01-2005 03:14 AM

Interesting Rom. I actually spent a long time messing with this during a sleepless night and the photos of my house are not nearly as high res as the shots you are posting. Guess I am not very interesting! LOL

Also, the scale was goofy. My dad' house is smaller than the pond but it looks bigger. I don't know when the photo was taken, looks like summer, and the foliage around the pond is very dense, so maybe it looks smaller than it actually is, from the air.

Where I live:

mudwoman · Post by **mudwoman** » 07-01-2005 03:15 AM

You can't see my travel trailer - marked X1

2< - pond
3< - wood shed (with tin roof - very shinny)
4> - my dad's house

Iris · Post by **Iris** » 07-01-2005 04:18 AM

Cool! Anyone checked out Area 51?

Jimmy · Post by **Jimmy** » 07-02-2005 10:52 PM

Iris wrote: Cool! Anyone checked out Area 51?

I tried a while ago on the the google satelite photo maps.
Geuss what? It was censored over with green circles.

Dale O Sea · Post by **Dale O Sea** » 07-13-2005 04:06 PM

Very nice freebie from Google.

I guess you guys missed my postabout it a couple of weeks or so ago..?

It's very similar to the World Wind program. Both have free versions.

Cpt Spike Mike · Post by **Cpt Spike Mike** » 07-13-2005 04:14 PM

I downloaded it, but for some reason it won't run at all on my computer.

Dale O Sea · Post by **Dale O Sea** » 07-13-2005 04:48 PM

That sucks!

Did it install?

What does it do? No error messages?

Is your resolution set to at least 1024x768 and your color density set to 32-bit true color screen?

To check that right click on the desktop and then click Properties. Then click on the Settings tab. The settings you need to check are there but the rest of your video settings are in that advanced area.

Cpt Spike Mike · Post by **Cpt Spike Mike** » 07-13-2005 08:25 PM

Dale, check your PMS.

calamity jane · Post by **calamity jane** » 07-13-2005 11:31 PM

Or, buy some Midol?

Cpt Spike Mike · Post by **Cpt Spike Mike** » 07-13-2005 11:48 PM

Okay, got it! No Midol needed.

USS Texas at 75O feet.

Dale O Sea · Post by **Dale O Sea** » 07-13-2005 11:56 PM

Did you get that from the KMZ file I posted. I figured the BB35 would be about the first place you went. Fun program, eh?