Google User Community

A reminder of the Google User Community.
This used to be called the Google Earth Bulletin Board, but a few months ago it was replaced with a system of Google Groups, one of which is for Google Earth.

Search this for thousands of useful KML files and guidance.
Whatever you're after, it's probably here...

Here's a few examples that I found with a quick five minutes of searching:

- Texas biomes as an image overlay
- Everest reconaissance with routes

What is your best discovery in the Google Earth groups ?

A few other new bits...

Preparing materials for course for the GA Google Earth and Beyond course on Thursday - just updated the Dropbox that goes with the course, and changing the spine powerpoint now, as well as reminding myself of some nice visualisation tools and other links.

Was putting together a new document on the Historical Slider, and looking for places where the imagery can be used best.

Came across this nice weblink, with 10 interesting places to visit on Google Earth.

Students could do this themselves of course and find ten places they would like to visit... or 10 examples of a particular feature e.g. active volcano...

Also remembered the old BIG HUGE LABS option for Earth as Art... (as shown by Noel Jenkins)

Also check out WHAT WAS THERE....

Atmosphere and sea surface options

I was excited to read about a few new features which have been added to Google Earth 7.1
You need to download / update your version of Google Earth to the latest one first.

You will then be able to do several things:
1. Add, or view the SUN - use the SUN icon on the top toolbar, or go to VIEW and tick SUN
2. While you're on the VIEW bar, put a tick next to WATER SURFACE
3. Go to OPTIONS (or view Preferences if you're on a Mac) and tick the new option: PHOTOREALISTIC ATMOSPHERE RENDERING.
This is a BETA option and may not work perfectly for you....

You can now bring the sun down over the water, and with a little tinkering can bring it so that it sets over the water...
Here's a quick go I just had: the sun setting over Loch Slapin, with the Cuillins of the Isle of Skye in the distance...
What can you come up with ?

Here's the Google Earth blog post where I read about the technique first...

Google Earth 7.1

We're now up to Google Earth 7.1, which was released on Monday the 22nd of April, 2013

Get it here.

Check out the new STARRY SKY feature as described on the Google Earth Blog.
There's also mention of a new motion controller....
I've still got my old SpaceNavigator joystick... must hunt out the drivers...

New Google Earth Tours

Via GE Blog
Apparently 100 000 new tours...