I think nobody can object that among the best programs of all time in the absolute sense there is Google Earth, the historical and powerful 3D viewer of the world. Google Earth PRO is one of those applications that is installed on every computer in the world, which every now and then, they open to play and explore the Earth. It is really difficult to cover everything that can be done with Google Earth and all the details or "levels" that can be seen on the 3D map of the Earth.
In this article we see 5 really interesting Google Earth tools to discover new things that few know and explore the world in different ways than usual. There are cases where Google Earth could come in really handy; for example if you are buying a house to accurately see the area from above and to calculate the distances.
1) See the historical images of what an area was like a few years ago .
In this world where wild construction does not seem to spare even the most isolated areas, it can be useful to look at what an area of your city or nearby countryside was like a few years ago, before they built on it.
In certain areas, especially in southern Italy, construction disasters, public waste and the consequences of disasters can also be found. The program is capable of showing population growth and changes in the territory through its historical archive which can be accessed from the View menu -> Historical images . Point the camera at an area, from the scroll bar at the top you can select the year to see what it was like.
Historical images are available at different times depending on the area.
2) Follow the progression of sunlight and see the world at night
Another interesting tool is the " Sun " tool which is always found in the View menu.
With the view of the Sun you can see the current illumination of the Earth and you can also see how the light changes by scrolling the cursor of the hour bar at the top. You can see how the shadows disappear when the sun sets, how the sunrise and sunset times vary throughout the year and the sun exposure of a house or another place during a day. Also interesting is the view of the world with night lights, which you can see by setting the level of the NASA City Lights that can be activated in the Gallery (bottom right).
3) Take precise distances
If you plan to go hiking in the mountains, you can use Google Earth to map and calculate exactly how far you will have to walk.
In Google Earth, go to Tools -> Ruler . You can read the distance from one point to another on the map in different units of measurement such as Centimeters, Meters or Kilometers. You can draw a line or create a path by following the curves and angles.
4) Send pictures and views to friends via Email
With Google Earth, at any time, you can send the image that appears on the screen via Email. If you discover a beautiful view or a place whose satellite photo you want to share, you can go to the File menu and choose the Send via Email option. You can send the captured image using Gmail or the email client installed on the PC. Sending the image is a screenshot while sending a view is a file that can be opened from Google Earth. In Google Earth there is also the function for "Record a Tour" (fifth button on the top central bar) which is instead a video recording of what you are seeing in the Google Earth window during an exploration. The recorder allows you to create virtual tours for friends and family.
5) Explore the sky and the seabed
Those who are passionate about astronomy can click on View -> Explore -> Sky or Mars or the Moon to explore the Stars and planets. The "Sky" option allows you to look at the stars in the virtual world and move around the firmament by zooming in the galaxies you see.
The images are provided by NASA with all real names. If you then zoom in on the sea, after seeing the surface of the moving water, you can enter the ocean and see the seabed.
If you know any other tricks to use with Google Earth, let them know.
In other articles:
- Publish photos in Google Earth with Panoramio
- Fly to Google Earth with the flight simulator
- see weather conditions and forecasts on Google Earth
- Virtual Tours of online 3D museums, monuments, cathedrals and places, in Italy and worldwide
