A Really Cool Toy From NASA
see your town from space
Tuesday, April 18, 2006 by starkers | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I'm still learning how to play with it, but this cool toy from NASA shows fantastic views of the Earth and has various tools to apply latitudinal/longditudinal grids, etc.......see http://www.majorgeeks.com/World_Wind_d4499.html
"World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there.
Virtually visit any place in the world. Look across the Andes, into the Grand Canyon, over the Alps, or along the African Sahara."
"World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there.
Virtually visit any place in the world. Look across the Andes, into the Grand Canyon, over the Alps, or along the African Sahara."
Lantec
Reply #2 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 6:47 AM
Reply #2 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 6:47 AM
As I understand the difference, World Wind depicts real time (or most recent) satellite imagery whereas Google Earth has a stock of satellite photographs (various dates not all current)to do the same thing. Another major differeence (at least for people in my business) is the inclusion of the USGS Maps for the US. Google Earth is cute and probably all anyone looking for a distraction or directions to Disney World needs. World Wind is a engineering/environmental tool with real world applications, one of which is NOT directions to Disney World.
Lantec
Reply #3 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 6:51 AM
Reply #3 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 6:51 AM
Should probably mention...World Wind REQUIRES a high speed (cable/DSL or better) connection and is CPU intensive. You'll probably see the CPU running at 100% the whole time it's open.
starkers
Reply #4 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 7:52 AM
Yeah, but you're not getting real time images with google Earth. As Lantec says. World Wind is more than a toy and you can zoom right in to ground level. We're having some rough weather conditions here in Tasmania at the moment, and last night I was actually watching it moving across the State. Oh, and by the way, BoXXi, I zoomed in on the Yorkshire moors earlier.....seems your lawn could use a mow and the garden beds need weeding.
Reply #4 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 7:52 AM
| Yikes!! 61Mb download!! I'll stick with Google Earth. |
Yeah, but you're not getting real time images with google Earth. As Lantec says. World Wind is more than a toy and you can zoom right in to ground level. We're having some rough weather conditions here in Tasmania at the moment, and last night I was actually watching it moving across the State. Oh, and by the way, BoXXi, I zoomed in on the Yorkshire moors earlier.....seems your lawn could use a mow and the garden beds need weeding.
Woodbridge
Reply #5 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 9:18 AM
Reply #5 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 9:18 AM
Last time I looked they didn't have particularly high resolution satelite images for the UK, where as with Google Earth I could clearly see the space between 2 parked cars outside my house. WorldWind seemed very focused on the US, which is all well and good, but not exactly 'World' Wind... 
starkers
Reply #6 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 9:50 AM
Well if you stand on your front step and wave at 8.00pm tomorrow night, I'll check it out and let you know if it has improved for the UK
Well it has to be....Uncle Sam needs to know everything going on in his own backyard.
Where do you think they get a lot of the footage for America's Funniest Home Videos - Adult Edition
Reply #6 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 9:50 AM
| Last time I looked they didn't have particularly high resolution satelite images for the UK, where as with Google Earth I could clearly see the space between 2 parked cars outside my house. |
Well if you stand on your front step and wave at 8.00pm tomorrow night, I'll check it out and let you know if it has improved for the UK
| WorldWind seemed very focused on the US, |
Well it has to be....Uncle Sam needs to know everything going on in his own backyard.
Where do you think they get a lot of the footage for America's Funniest Home Videos - Adult Edition
seldomseen
Reply #7 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 10:05 AM
Man, ain't THAT the truth!
Reply #7 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 10:05 AM
| Well it has to be....Uncle Sam needs to know everything going on in his own backyard |
Man, ain't THAT the truth!
David Lyncheski
Reply #8 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 10:31 AM
Reply #8 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 10:31 AM
it is more pro, it is cool becuse it can show the weather. 
WebGizmos
Reply #9 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 2:19 PM
Reply #9 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 2:19 PM
Hey! How about we all get together and find Bin Laden with this thing and put an end to the war/invasion! Yeah I know...it was a thought! 
Yeah I know...it was a thought! 
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Reply #1 Tuesday, April 18, 2006 6:15 AM