Google “Not” Earth
Google Sky
Google Sky, like Google Earth, consists of a basemap and related layers. The program displays a mosaic of images retrieved from a combination of surveys including the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Digital Sky Survey Consortium, NASA, and ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Users are able to view planets, galaxies, stars, nebulae, constellations, and spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope. In addition, users are able to search particular planets, stars, or galaxies in the search box. Google Sky then flies the user through the universe to their desired destination. Podcasts, articles, and photographs are often available regarding the searched object (Google Inc., 2010).
Google Moon
Google joined with NASA Ames Research Center to display a new feature of Google Earth: Google Moon. This displays a collection of lunar maps and charts, which depict detailed images of the moon and mark particular and important landmarks. Google Moon displays altitude (differentiated by varying colors), photographs, and charts involving geologic and topographic information. It also has tagged landmarks, which provide stories, quotes, images, and videos pertaining to different Apollo missions, which relate the specific flagged position on the moon (Google Inc., 2010).
Google Mars
Just as users are able to explore the Earth and the Moon, so can they explore the planet Mars. Google teamed up with NASA researchers at Arizona State University to create maps of Mars, which can be explored by the public. Users of Google Mars are able to take interactive tours of Mars, follow rover vehicles trek across Mars and view their 360-degree panoramas, and search for famous landmarks (Google Inc., 2010).
The following videos provides a visual demonstration of Google Earth programs:
For information on navigating the programs available online go here.
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