Photo: NASA

PROGRAMS FOR VIEWING THE EARTH •  NASA WORLD WIND The program NASA World Wind enables zooming from satellite altitude into different places on Earth, using satellite imagery and shuttle radar topography mission data to visualize 3D images. Further viewing features include daily updated weather data like temperatures, and material about volcanic activity, storms etc. as well as various viewing tools. Examples Download webpage •  GOOGLE EARTH The program Google Earth combines Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, and detailed terrain data and a "textured" mode for buildings, enabling high-quality 3D viewing. In addition, high-resolution photos are available of some locations, navigation controls allow "swoop" navigation and "Street View" pictures are available for some cities. According to Google, a tool for viewing, creating and sharing location-specific information. Users can also look at featured content created by Google Earth users, displaying multi-media data, and learn about space: explore galaxies or view constellations with imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope. It is also possible to view the ocean beneath the surface and see content from i.e. the BBC and the National Geographic. Historic imagery enables users to see how specifc locations looked like before. There is a free version of Google Earth for personal use. Google Earth Pro at a subscription-based annual fee is designed for commercial use. The product Google Earth Enterprise enables organizations to work with large quantities of satellite imagery and GIS data. Google Earth Outreach is a program launched by Google, specifically designed for public service organizations, enabling users to create enhanced visual information, with embedded pictures and videos, about their projects. Google offers grants for Google Earth Pro licences to qualified non profit organizations. Product information of Google Earth Free Featured content, created by Google Earth users The different versions: Google Earth Free, Google Earth Pro Google Earth Enterprise Google Earth Outreach Mainpage - Showcase Download webpage for Google Earth Free •  MS VIRTUAL EARTH Microsoft's program MS Virtual Earth combines mapping, location and search features of MapPoint Web Service with bird's eye, satellite and aerial imagery, and new map styles. Intended for businesses and government. Microsoft online search and mapping website Examples Product features Special solutions for different industries SATELLITE IMAGES WEBSITES •  VISIBLE EARTH At NASA's Visible Earth website viewers find satellite imagery from various different satellites as well as complementing information, and can select images for instance by satellite, sensor, topic or region. Imagery by satellite Images by GCMD topic •  ESA SATELLITE IMAGES At the European Space Agency's (ESA) webpage section Satellite Images one can view recent satellite imagery or access global maps by selecting a satellite or using the search mode. Observing the Earth Earthnet Online •  TERRASERVER Terraserver offers digital aerial photography and satellite images from various sites on the internet. Satellite images can be viewed online at the Terraserver website free of charge up to a certain resolution. Purchasing a subscription enables users to have access to satellite images at full resolution, additional features and tools. Imagery can be selected by category, special interest topic or image provider. Online image search Products Examples •  CARTERRA ONLINE Carterra Online from GeoEye offers commercial satellite and aerial imagery, derived products and services for various applications for different industries, mapping content online as well as image processing and photogrammetry services. Products Examples: selection of satellite images by theme or map •  DIGITAL GLOBE Digitalglobe provides diverse commercial products for GIS users: geospacial data, satellite imagery and also integrated information products including various applications, as for example mapping applications, specifically designed for different industry users. Products Examples: selection of free satellite imagery WEBSITES FOCUSING ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES •  EARTH OBSERVATORY Focusing on climate and environmental change, NASA's Earth Observatory website is dedicated to providing satellite imagery and scientific information about the Earth freely accessible to the public. The website includes different features and topics about the Earth, data and images about for example precipitation, surface temperatures, ozone, UV radiation and vegetation etc. Viewers can also read about Earth observing missions including information about the various spacecrafts and satellites orbiting the Earth. Features Data & images Missions •  NOAA SATELLITE AND INFORMATION SERVICE This webpage of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows high-resolution satellite images of significant environmental events, publishes a daily report during the week and features pages with specific themes and an "image of the day" page. The images of the Operational Significant Event Imagery (OSEI) pages are produced by a team of scientists. The website also contains links to educational resources and to an online map viewer. Image of the day New imagery Access to NOAA satellite data for educators Online map viewer - (Description) WEBSITES COMBINING MAPS AND SATELLITE IMAGERY •  GOOGLE MAPS Google Maps provides satellite imagery in combination with map search, using the same satellite data as Google Earth, and offers for example maps and business search as well as map data for specific countries. In addition it is possible to create and edit personalized maps by adding text, photos and videos and highlighting places, paths and areas. These maps can also be viewed in the program Google Earth. Examples Creating a personalized map VISUALISING IMAGES OF THE EARTH •  SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION STUDIO Working with scientists the Scientific Visualization Studio at Goddard Space Flight Center makes visualization products and systems accessible to the public so as to enhance the understanding of Planet Earth and Space Science. Vizualization products can be selected for example by themes, satellite or sensor and keywords. Selection of visualization products by theme, satellite or sensor Recent visualization imagery Image search by keyword PHOTOS OF THE EARTH FROM SPACE •  GATEWAY TO ASTRONAUT PHOTOGRAPHY OF EARTH On this NASA website Gateway to Astronaut Photography viewers find an online collection of photographs of the Earth taken by astronauts since the earliest space missions. New photographs taken from the International Space Station are also added daily. Image searches are possible for example by region, mission or feature. Technical search page Map query •  ISS EARTHKAM IMAGES The ISS Earthkam Images website provides photographs taken via a camera mounted either on a Space Shuttle or the International Space Station and is a NASA program enabling students, teachers and the public to learn about the Earth from the perspective of Space. In the ISS Earthkam Datasystem users can search for images for instance by feature, country or mission. Images Composite images •  SPACE WEBCAM OF THE TATE IN LONDON The Tate has placed a webcam on its Tate Satellite in orbit. Every 30 seconds it sends photos to the server, allowing realtime viewing of satellite images of the Earth. Webcam in space Information on the satellite and sighting times Information on the project Public programmes See also: •  SAST REPORT Weather Action