Google Earth is one of the easiest ways to access satellite and aerial imagery.
Satellites orbit the Earth collecting images of the surface for mapping, scientific research, and weather prediction. The imaging satellites are launched and operated by governments and private corporations around the globe. Many of these images are freely available, while others cost ten to thousands of dollars per scene. Google Earth offers one of the easiest ways to access freely available images of nearly any spot on Earth for casual use. Google Earth offers satellite and aerial imagery you can print and save.
Instructions
1. Download and install Google Earth. Refer to the References section for a link to the download page.
2. Launch Google Earth. It opens with a window displaying a "Tip." Click "Close." You are presented with a view of the Earth. Open View | Show Navigation and select "Always" to keep the on-screen map navigation tools visible.
3. Type the name of the location you want to view in the "Fly to" box in the Search panel in the upper left corner of the screen. For example, try "London" or "Washington, D.C."
4. Click the "Begin Search" (magnifying glass) button next to the "Fly to" box. The view will zoom in to your location on the globe. If Google Earth finds several matches for your location, it will display a list in the Search panel. Click the correct location on the list to zoom to that location.
5. Navigate around the scene to get the exact view you want. Double-click on the view to zoom in on that point. Click-and-drag the map to pan around. Use the zoom bar slider in the upper right to zoom in and out. See the "Navigating on the Earth" page in the References section. Many areas have high-resolution aerial photography, so you will be able to see trees, cars, houses, and other details clearly as you zoom in.
6. Turn layers off or on in the Layers palette by clicking the checkboxes next to the layer names. For example, uncheck the "Roads" layer to hide roads in your view.
7. Save your view as an image. Open the File menu and select Save | Save Image. A standard "Save As" window opens. Choose a folder to save your image in, type a file name in the "File name" box, and click "Save."
8. Print your view by selecting Print from the File menu. The Google Earth Print Options window opens. Click the "Graphic 3D View" button, and select "Screen," "Low," or "Medium" for the print quality. Click "Print" to continue to the standard Print menu, where you can choose your printer and printer settings.
Tags: Google Earth, your view, aerial imagery, Earth offers, easiest ways
