Fun with Google Earth 5

Google Earth is quite possibly, one of my favorite programs ever, and this week they have released a new update! The big thing in this update is support for bathymetric geometry – in other words, terrain in the oceans!

What does it look like? I decided to take a gander, using the “secret” Flight Simulator mode built into the program and examine Monterey Canyon, located here in California at Monterey Bay. Link to video is here.

I also decided to take a tour of Spirit’s, one of the Mars Exploration Rovers, landing site in the Gusev Crater on Mars. (This functionality has been in Google Earth for awhile, but I’m just now having a chance to play with it). The video starts off by flying over the area Spirit landed and then we turn to fly over the Columbia Hills and other features that Spirit eventually crawled its way over. In the distance, you can see the walls of the Gusev Crater.

Link to video is here.

While flying around some other craters near Gusev Crater, I found this interesting feature that appears to be a landslide with a long run out! I’ll see if I can find it again and post a link to the location (and potential measurements).

Update: Link to the location of the landslide is here. (Don’t worry – opens Google Maps / Mars in your browser)

Similar Posts on Geology News:

• Martian Geology – Naming, Rovers, and Landing Sites
• Buzz! Quiz TV – Geology Questions
• Guatemala Landslide Videos
• Discovering Asteroid Impacts from Home
• Yucca Flat – Scars in the Landscape