According to many astronauts, there is nothing more beautiful than the view of our planet from the outside. When the Earth resembles a large balloon, on which there are snow-white clouds, gray rocks and the blue surface of endless ocean waters. This article will provide various online maps and 3D globes of the Earth. To use them, there is no need to download additional software, as is the case with Google Earth. The maps are interactive, so you can view them online right from these pages.
This is a three-dimensional sample of a globe, consisting of fairly detailed raster photo textures that were created using NASA satellites. To rotate the globe, hold down the left mouse button. To change the map scale, scroll the mouse wheel - up the scale will increase, down - decrease it.
If you zoom very close to an area on the globe, you will not get a very high-quality image. This is due to the low resolution of most of the pictures taken. This approach to creating a globe ensures that the browser loads textures quickly. If good quality images were used, your browser would take a long time to load them due to their large size.
Virtual sample of a 3D Earth globe online
On the Internet you can find many services that offer to view and study a 3D Earth globe map in an online browser. This model is a three-dimensional globe on which we can find areas of cities and states, settlements and even streets and buildings. This interactive globe is great for scaling. It's all about the vector textures that are used for this model, so you can scale the globe without losing quality and see different objects on it. Some areas even allow you to see street names and house numbers.
Globe of Giovanni Maria Cassini displays historical map of the world
A very interesting specimen is a historical globe. It shows us the view of planet Earth as seen by people living in the late 18th century. The author of this globe is considered to be Giovanni Maria Cassini, who created it back in 1790. The globe is interactive, like the previous ones. With it you can also rotate the globe, zoom in and out. Here you can even find the routes of James Cook's expeditions. They are indicated on the globe in different colors.
Google Maps is a mapping service that provides satellite interactive maps of the Earth online
Google Maps is one of the most detailed digital maps in the world today. Wherever you are, if you have a smartphone, tablet or laptop with you, you can find the route to any object on the map, find the nearest cafe, library, bank branch, etc. The map is very similar to any online 3D earth globe.
To create a route anywhere on the map, open Google Maps :
To find any place, country, city, village, open Google Maps again. Enter the desired object in the search bar and press “Enter” or the magnifying glass icon.
The location you entered will immediately appear on the map. On the left side of the block you can see basic information about the location found on the map. Here you can find the current temperature, local time and other interesting facts.
Yandex Maps - satellite maps of the Earth in 3D online
The most famous search engine in Russia, Yandex, has its own interactive map service - Yandex Maps. They allow you to find the right place, build routes with any points on the map, print any section, view a street panorama, provide a map API and much more. There is an interesting section - people's maps, where you can independently edit any objects, houses, gardens, streets, wells, etc., after passing moderation they will appear on the Yandex Maps service.
To find any point on the planet:
Using Yandex Maps, you can, like a 3D model of a globe online, find any point on our planet Earth. To do this, you need to enter the name of the locality in the search bar or point with the mouse directly on the map.
The surface of the Earth can now be constantly monitored. In addition, access to viewing satellite images is available. Among the many applications for such actions, Google Earth online in real time is the most popular in Russia.
Yandex maps can be named as the main competitor. Their developers are Russians, due to which Russian cities are designed with the greatest precision. Thanks to the available functions, you can view the level of Internet congestion for large populated areas, as well as numerous geodata and demographic data. Google provides access to traffic, as well as all information on plots of land only in the United States.
Online view of the Earth from satellite
Google Earth online from a satellite in real time is displayed on the manufacturer’s website. For the plugin to work fully and display all the main elements, it is recommended to use the Google Chrome Internet browser. In some situations, it will be enough to refresh the page so that everything opens correctly.
The main advantage of Google Maps is the presence of a developed application for users, through which they can view satellite images in any direction. This provides an opportunity to move away from the classic browser and simply download the application in advance and use all its features. In addition, it will have much more functions and properties. If desired, you can open the 3D globe in virtual mode.
Main advantages
If you first download Google Earth online, rather than viewing maps in an Internet browser, clients receive a full range of positive aspects, which include:
- Taking screenshots of a specific location, as well as recording high-resolution videos.
- To search for a piece of terrain or a building, simply enter the name or specific coordinates into the search bar.
- Move between “favorite places”, having previously saved them in the settings.
- In order to be able to work in the program offline in the future, you should perform preliminary synchronization via the Internet.
- You can move from object to object using a flight simulator. This option provides more and more convenience for every user.
- In addition to the earth's surface, you can open access to other bodies in the heavens, such as the Moon or Mars.
This is only a minimal list of advantages purchased by clients of online maps from satellite.
Viewing Modes
As mentioned earlier, Google Maps is accessible not only through the Internet browser, but also through the application. Using the plugin, you can use interactive maps in any web browser. The specified address is embedded in the resource program code. In this case, the entire planet, as well as a specific selected region, can be displayed. In the latter case, you will have to enter the appropriate coordinates.
Control is carried out via keyboard and mouse. In combination with each other, they allow you to zoom in or out, and adjust the cursor while moving. In addition, there are additional icons (“+”, “-”) on the map.
Among the map viewing modes, the following stand out:
- Landscape from satellite. Here the features of the planet's surface are more interesting.
- Geographic - in the form of a diagram that allows you to study incoming images in more detail.
- Physical – display of streets with names, cities.
The main requirement for stable operation and instant loading of maps is a high-speed Internet connection. You can also use offline mode, but even here you will initially have to use the Internet to download.
On our website, everyone has the opportunity to watch a live online broadcast from the ISS (International Space Station) absolutely free. A high-quality webcam allows you to enjoy the amazing beauty of planet Earth in HD format, which has been broadcasting video from orbit in real time for many years.
The filming is carried out from the ISS, which is constantly in motion, flying in orbit. NASA employees, who are on board together with representatives of the space industry of other countries, conduct daily observations from the window, studying the features of space.
The ISS is an artificial Earth satellite that periodically docks with other spacecraft and stations to transfer research materials and replace personnel. With the help of NASA's webcam, you can see amazing cosmic landscapes in space right at this very moment.
View of the Earth from space in real time
Every day, various natural events occur on our planet, so from the ISS you can see online: lightning strikes and hurricanes, the northern lights, the process of a tsunami and its movement, amazing night landscapes of large cities, sunset and sunrise, ejection of lava from volcanoes, fall of celestial bodies.
In addition, you can observe a fascinating picture of the work of astronauts in outer space, and feel through the screen the extraordinary emotions that they experience. Almost every one of us dreamed of becoming an astronaut as a child, but life presented us with a different path. Perhaps this is why an opportunity has been created for all the inhabitants of the Earth to fulfill their little dream via the Internet - to travel online with the International Space Station in orbit.
Remember the movie “Men in Black”, where Agent Kay looked through an orbital camera at his beloved watering flowers in the courtyard? The opportunity to see what our Earth looks like from a satellite in real time attracts people from all over the world. Today we will tell you - and show you! - the best fruits of modern Earth observation technologies.
Attention! If you see a dark screen, it means the cameras are in the shadows. Screensaver or gray screen - no signal.
Usually we only get static satellite maps, frozen in time - details are not updated for years, and an eternal summer day reigns outside. Isn't it interesting to see how beautiful the Earth is from a satellite online in winter or at night? In addition, the quality of images of some regions of Russia and the CIS leaves much to be desired. But now all this can be solved in one fell swoop - thanks to , Earth online from a satellite in real time is no longer science fiction. Right on this page you can join thousands of people who are now observing the planet.
At an altitude of 400 kilometers above the planet, where the station is permanently located, NASA installed one developed by private companies. The astronauts themselves or at the commands of the Mission Control Center direct the cameras from which data is transmitted. Thanks to manual control, we can see what the Earth looks like from a satellite online from all sides - its atmosphere, mountains, cities and oceans. And the mobility of the station allows you to view half of the globe in an hour.
How does the broadcast happen?
Thanks to the fact that the cameras are located at the International Station, even minor details are visible to us, which are commented on by scientists, astronauts and professional journalists. However, our Earth is visible online from a satellite in real time thanks to the work of a whole complex of people and machines - in addition to the already mentioned astronauts and the Control Center, the process involves satellite communication transmission technologies, solar power batteries and technical specialists involved in data translation and decoding. Accordingly, the broadcast has its own nuances - knowing them will help you see more and better understand what is happening on the screen.
Our observation point, the orbital station, moves at enormous speed - almost 28 thousand kilometers per hour, and circles the Earth in 90-92 minutes. Half of this time, 45 minutes, the station hangs on the night side. And although on approach the solar panels of the cameras can be powered by sunset light, in the depths the electricity disappears - therefore it is not always available from the satellite. At such moments, the broadcast screen turns gray; Just wait a little and you will be watching the sunrise with the astronauts.
In order to find the best time for observations, you will need our special satellite map of the Earth - it marks not only the time of passage of the space station, but also its exact position. This way you can find out when to see your city from space heights, or find a station in the sky with binoculars or a telescope!
We have already mentioned that astronauts and ground control can change the aiming of cameras - they perform not only an entertaining, but also a scientific function. At such moments, planet Earth is not accessible from a satellite in real time - a black or blue screensaver appears on the screen, or already captured moments are repeated. If there are no interruptions in satellite communications, the station is located on the day side of the planet, and the background suddenly changes, then the cameras are filming areas inaccessible to the public due to international treaties. Secret objects and forbidden territories are closed on static maps, skillfully hidden by photo editors or simply erased. All that remains is to wait for the moment when the situation in the world relaxes, and there will be no secrets from ordinary citizens.
Hidden Features
But don't be upset if the camera isn't working right now! When planet Earth cannot be shown online from satellite, astronauts and NASA find other entertainment for viewers. You will see life inside the International Space Station, astronauts in zero gravity, who talk about their work and what kind of satellite view of the Earth will be shown next. They even allow you to look into the impressively large Mission Control Center. The only negative is that even the speech of Russian cosmonauts is translated into English so that it can be understood by the American employees who manage the Center. It is currently not possible to turn off translation. Also, don’t be surprised by the silence - comments are not always appropriate, and there is no constant sound accompaniment yet.
For those who predict the route of cameras using the capabilities provided by a real-time satellite map of the Earth, we have advice - check the date and time settings on your computer. The server that updates the map uses the given International Station motion formula and the time zone of your IP address to predict the position of the orbital cameras. The online map judges what the Earth looks like from a satellite solely based on the device’s time. If your clock is slow or fast relative to the time zone, the station will move east or west accordingly. The use of proxy servers and anonymizers will also affect the results.
You are a participant in a scientific program
You've probably noticed that the quality of the picture of planet Earth from space and the live satellite broadcast often changes - the image is covered with squares or lags behind the audio track. In most cases, it is enough to check the speed of your Internet connection, disable other videos and programs for downloading files, or click on the HD button in the broadcast window. However, even if there are interruptions, it is worth remembering that the planet can only be seen alive thanks to a large-scale scientific experiment.
Yes, yes - the video on this page is transmitted for a reason. The cameras installed on the International Space Station are part of the High Definition Earth Viewing program, which is still being improved and developed. The cameras are installed by astronauts in conditions isolated from cold and dust, but they are exposed to harsh radiation from the outside. Scientists are experimenting with the difficulties of continuous data transmission in space, ensuring that a map of the Earth from a satellite in good quality exists not only motionless, but also living, dynamic. The results will help improve existing channels and create new ones - even in Mars orbit in the foreseeable future.
So let's stay in touch - new things appear in the world of space every day!
According to the stories of astronauts, there is no more beautiful and bewitching picture than the view of the Earth from space. When you look at a small ball consisting of white clouds, brown earth and blue water, it is impossible to take your eyes off...
Today we will look at several cool online 3D Earth globes, which you can use directly from this page. They are all interactive and you can interact with them. There is no need to download and install additional programs like Google Earth, etc. - just open this page in your browser and enjoy.
Photorealistic 3D Earth globe
This is a three-dimensional model of the world, on which photo textures obtained by NASSA satellites are stretched.
You can spin the ball in different directions by holding down the left mouse button. Rotating the mouse wheel up increases the viewing scale, downwards - on the contrary, decreases it.
At maximum zoom, the textures become blurry, so I recommend that you do not get too carried away with scaling.
The blur is due to the fact that the model uses low-resolution photographs. Otherwise, loading them in the browser would take too long.
This 3D globe allows you to see our planet almost the way astronauts see it. Well, or close to it :)
Virtual globe of the Earth
This is a three-dimensional interactive virtual globe on which the borders of states, names of cities, regions, settlements, etc. are indicated.This 3D model of the world does not have raster textures, like the previous one, but vector ones, so here scaling can be done down to individual buildings. At maximum magnification there are even house numbers and street names.
Historical globe
It demonstrates how our ancestors saw our Earth at the end of the 18th century. Its authorship belongs to the famous geographer and cartographer Giovanni Maria Cassini, and it was published in Rome in 1790.
It is also fully interactive, you can twist, rotate, zoom in or out of the map. Looking at it, you understand how much the world has changed in just 200 years, and how many events were behind it all...
And here is the actual globe itself (1790), from which this online 3d model was made:
Finally, a stunningly beautiful video about what the Earth actually looks like from space:
Friends, share your impressions, opinions and ask questions in the comments!