Many users would like to enjoy satellite photos of their native places, see their house from above, a nearby river or forest, in a word, everything that is commonly called the “small Motherland”. A tool for realizing this desire can be satellite mapping services that provide unique opportunity viewing in a detailed graphical mode of all the required geolocations. After my attempts to look at my home from a satellite online, I found really high-quality services and I will share my best practices in the article.

There is a huge variety of mapping services on the web that provide the user with access to satellite maps. high definition. At the same time, the vast majority of these services use the Google Maps API, and only a few services (including the domestic Yandex.Maps) can boast of their own cartographic developments that are different from the dominant Google maps in this segment.

At the same time, working with such cards is quite standard. You go to one of them, turn on the satellite display if necessary, and then enter your address (town, street, house number) into the search bar. After that, the service finds the required location, and you can use the mouse wheel to increase or decrease the existing display. If for some reason the service does not find your house, I recommend entering the name of the city (town, village) and the street, and then find right house independently with the mouse.


At the same time, some services allow not only to see your house from above, but also to walk along the streets hometown, and close to enjoy the view of the buildings we need.

Let's move on to the list of services that will help us see our home from a satellite.

Google Maps - look at your house from a satellite in real time

The world's most popular mapping resource is undoubtedly "Google Maps" (Google Maps). In addition to maps presented in a schematic and satellite form, the service also includes the possibility of 360 ° viewing of the streets of many cities of the world (Street View). Information about street traffic and traffic jams (Google Traffic), route planner from point A to point B, 3D display of many geographic points, and other useful features.

There are two main options for viewing your home:


Yandex.Maps - allows you to see the necessary object in Russia

Another mapping service with which you can enjoy the view of your home is Yandex.Maps. This service is the most popular in Russia, since the level of displaying the territory of Russia and the frequency of updating data for the Russian Federation exceeds all existing analogues, including the generally recognized maps from Google.

Like the Google Maps service, Yandex.Maps can boast of both standard and satellite map display (as well as the Hybrid mode, which involves applying various text and schematic markings on a satellite map). In addition, users have access to the street display mode (“Yandex.Panoramas”), the traffic congestion indicator (“Yandex.Traffic”), as well as the crowdsourcing system “People’s Map”, which can be edited by any user.


To view your home using Yandex.Maps, go to the resource, type your address in the search bar above, and press enter. To switch to street view mode, click on the button with binoculars at the bottom of the screen (street panoramas and photos). And then select one of the streets marked in blue (you will switch to the street view at this point, and you can enjoy the flavor of these places).

Bing.Maps - satellite map from Microsoft

Bing.Maps is a web-based mapping service from Microsoft, formerly known as Windows Live Maps and MSN Virtual Earth. Its capabilities include satellite display of maps, street view, 3D display for 60 cities of the world, laying the best route and other features that are typical for services of this type.


To view your home using Bing.Maps, go to the specified service, click on "Road" on the right, and select "Hybrid View". Then enter the address you need in the search bar, and view the view that opens.

MapQuest is a popular American mapping service.

Map Quest (translated as "Card Search") is a free American mapping service, the second most popular in the US after Google Maps. The resource can boast a high degree detailing the streets of many countries of the world, will help to lay a convenient route, inform about the available traffic and much more.

To work with it, you need to go to this resource, click on the button with the image the globe on the right (Satelite), which will allow you to switch to satellite display mode. After that, in the search bar on the left, enter the address you need (preferably in Latin), and enjoy displaying the desired location using the MapQuest service.


MapQuest is the second most popular service in the US

Conclusion

You can look at your home from a satellite using the services listed by me in this material. For the territory of Russia, I would recommend the Yandex.Maps service - its level of detail and the frequency of updated data inspire us to consider Yandex maps the best cartographic service in the Russian Federation. On a global scale, the Google Maps service is the undisputed leader, therefore it will be optimal to use the tools of this service to display maps of many countries of the world.

In contact with

All people know about the beauty of the planet Earth, but only astronauts had a chance to verify this earlier. Now every computer user with Internet access has this opportunity. The live satellite view is broadcast on many sites that are easy to find through Google, viewing is absolutely free.

Where to see a live satellite view

For those who are looking for options on how to look at the Earth from a satellite in real time, there are several options. The first of them offers video broadcasting from the ISS (international space station), on which one of the teams fixed a camera directed towards the planet. You won’t be able to see the entire globe from the station online (the image captures only a part), but you are guaranteed fantastic sunsets and sunrises. In the second option, you can study a specific area using images from space in several formats (cartographic, satellite).

Earth from space online in real time

Planet Earth from satellite is transmitted live with a delay of one or two minutes around the clock. If you don’t see anything when you go to the site, it means that the observation is being filmed from the dark side of the planet (where this moment night has come). Those who are looking for how to look at the Earth from a satellite in real time should visit ustream.tv/channel/live-iss-stream. This is the official broadcast from NASA in live, which can be found on many other resources, but this service is the primary source.

There you can also find the flight schedule of the station, find out at what point it flies over Russia. Sometimes, together with the ISS staff, a program is drawn up, according to which they go to video communication. They communicate, show and talk about interesting facts in space. Earth from the satellite in real time and communication with the staff takes place online every day.

Real time satellite maps

A view of the Earth from space does not have to be in video format. Satellites flying in orbit daily are able to make great amount photos, which are then used to map the area. The pictures are so detailed that each person can find not only their city, but also specifically their home. Several companies are involved in collecting data about the Earth from the satellite, which then offer their data.

An example is the site meteosputnik.ru. This project uploads photos from low-orbit metrological geostationary stations of the planet to the network. The service implements the reception of images that are received in real time. They are posted immediately after the end of the data transfer. The site offers two Earth photo formats for viewing: HRPT and ART. They differ among themselves in the resolution and range of the obtained images.

google earth online

One of the most popular plugins for viewing Earth images is the Google Earth plugin. It is installed on a computer and provides an opportunity to view and even "visit" the most remote corners of the planet. The service offers, if desired, to go on a virtual "flight" around the globe. You can use standard GPS coordinates for moving, in addition to the plug-in, images of other planets that were taken at the stations are provided.

Yandex maps

The direct competitor of the American giant is Russian company Yandex, which does not offer real-time satellite viewing, but provides maps of no less quality. In order to view the pictures, you need to go to home page service and click on the "Maps" tab. All accessible points of the globe will open before you, which you can zoom in, examine in detail.

Recently, an amazing "panoramic view" function has appeared, which literally takes you to the streets of the selected city. The display switching button is located on the left (lower corner of the "Maps" section). You simply click on the desired display location - and a 3D tour opens in front of you (only available along the main streets locality). You can rotate the picture 360 ​​degrees, move forward and backward.

Live video from satellite

Russia or the Russian Federation is a unique country that combines European and Asian features. The map of Russia is striking: the country occupies a vast territory of 17 million km2 and is located simultaneously on the territory of Northern Asia and Eastern Europe.

143 million people live in Russia. Russian Federation is a kind of "melting pot of nations": representatives of more than 200 nationalities live here. The country is a federal republic with a presidential form of government. The territory of the country is divided into 46 regions, 9 territories, 21 republics, 4 autonomous regions, one autonomous region and 2 federal cities. It is noteworthy that the Kaliningrad region is located on the territory of the European Union and has no borders with the Russian Federation.

Today Russia is one of the dynamically developing states that world politics. The Russian Federation is part of numerous world political organizations such as the UN and the G8. Despite the relative stability and significant development of the country after the fall of the Soviet regime, the Russian economy is largely dependent on energy resources, in particular on oil and gas prices.

The capital of Russia is Moscow - one of the most expensive and beautiful cities in the world.

Historical reference

The Russian Federation is the successor of several states. The country traces its history back to 862, when Kievan Rus. In the 12th century, numerous Russian principalities were located on the territory of Russia, which in the 15th century merged into Russian state. Since 1721, Tsar Peter I created Russian empire. In 1917, the revolutionary movement of socialism overthrew the monarchical regime and first formed Russian republic, then the RSFSR, and in 1922 the USSR.

During the Soviet regime, the country was separated from other countries of the world by " iron curtain”, some of the consequences of which have not yet been eliminated. In 1991, the USSR collapsed and the Russian Federation appeared.

must visit

Russia is a country on the territory of which there are many cultural, historical and natural monuments. It is recommended to visit the business and cultural centers countries - Moscow and St. Petersburg, Lake Baikal, cities of the "Golden" and "Silver" rings, Orthodox monasteries and churches, Caucasian Reserve, volcanoes of Kamchatka and much more.

Interactive map of Russia- a modern and convenient way to find the desired map of any region or city. This card allows you to view cities both in satellite mode and in schematic map mode. You can watch from a satellite with the ability to zoom in on any city and switch between different providers and map types. Additional services are available - real-time cloud photos, traffic jams (only for large cities), terrain photos, a weather layer displaying the current weather for each settlement, and a brief forecast for the next 4 days.

For most objects on the map of Russia - Google Maps satellite photos are considered the best in quality

The quality of satellite photography often varies by region, as satellite images need to be constantly updated. Therefore, different providers may have different photo quality for a particular city or region. However, the best quality photos in most cases are from Google Maps. Photos of Yandex maps are often worse in quality, but they can be newer, so for new buildings you can get by with Yandex. OVI maps - surprisingly in some cases it has better photos even than in Google Maps,

Open Street Maps

OSM is a phenomenon of the modern computer society, because the map is simple people(volunteers volunteers), (unlike the 2gis map and others). But despite this, OSM is considered the most accurate and detailed map not only for Russia, but for the whole world. Even such giants as Yandex or Google cannot map as accurately and efficiently as a community of enthusiastic amateur cartographers does. New buildings (namely, it is easy to determine the relevance and “freshness” of the map from them) are almost always present on OSM (and even the foundations of new buildings), while in Google and Yandex they may be present alternately, or not present at all. Besides, open street Maps is probably the only map that displays paths in parks and forests and many other additional objects that are usually not available on other services.

Russia - physical map one file, which shows the largest cities, the main ranges and plains. The map is very clear and easy to understand, although not detailed enough.

Physical card - option 2

What are Google Maps? It is a service that consists of several applications provided free of charge and includes the mapping site Google Maps and a route planning program (Google Transit). Google maps offer a satellite view of many cities around the world and include a detailed map of the location of streets, houses, ways to travel by public transport or car, a guide to various objects And so on.

Features of work

The Google Maps map is displayed in two variations:

  • conventional traditional map (similar to Mercator maps)
  • and satellite images (not online, but taken a certain time ago).

The scale of the maps is also based on the Mercator projection, that is, it is constant and changes from the poles to the equator in the direction of decrease.

Another separate project of the corporation is closely connected with Google Maps - Google Planet, which corresponds to the globe, on which the regions of the Earth's poles are clearly visible.

For which places are satellite images offered? Not for everyone, but only for big cities Russia, England, America, Canada and others.

Not all governments have approved such placement and use of images (because the placement of some objects that are clearly visible on maps can be used by terrorists to plan and carry out attacks).

That is why many objects on the maps are shaded. Such “secret” objects include, for example, The White house or the Capitol.

Different places on satellite images are given in different resolutions - the less populated the area, the less detailed it is. Also, some places in the pictures may be hidden due to the shadow of the clouds.

Google maps online

  • switch to satellite mode- lower left corner;
  • zoom in/zoom out- lower right corner.

As soon as the company introduced new service, around the world swept a wave of interest in satellite images.

The creation of sites began, on which satellite images began to be placed in the public domain interesting places, unusual architectural sights, stadiums, man-made formations. Since 2008, the US Weather Service has been using Google Maps to prepare its forecasts.

It should be noted that not all images are made from a satellite - most of the images were obtained thanks to aerial photography from a height of 300 meters.

Google Maps online maps make extensive use of JavaScript. As the user moves around the map by dragging it, new parcels are loaded from the server and displayed on the page.

If the user is looking for specific objects, then the search result is inserted in the sidebar, and the page itself does not require a reload. The location on the map is displayed dynamically through a red marker icon.

  • In 2006 year, the first version appeared for mobile phones, and in 2007 a second version appeared. A GPS-like service is used to locate the phone.
  • In 2008 year Google Maps could be used for Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian, BlackBerry, Java (from 2+), IOS (Apple), Palm OS (Centro+).
  • In 2011 In 2007, the corporation announced that it was providing mapping services to more than 150 million customers.

So that third-party site owners could use Maps, Google announced in 2005 the free Maps API (Application Programming Interface) service.

The map can be placed on any site using this technology for interaction software. To date, there are more than 350 thousand such sites around the world.

Google Maps Service (Google Maps) is one of the most powerful mapping services in the world. Its capabilities allow you to enjoy satellite images of the surface of our planet. More opportunities to use interactive map, it is easy to lay a convenient route from point A to point B, get up-to-date information about traffic jams and much more. At the same time, not all users are fully familiar with the capabilities of this service, which in a certain way prevents its full use. This material is designed to eliminate such "white spots", in which I will talk about Google maps, which are available online in real time and excellent quality, and explain in detail how to use their capabilities.

We study the functionality online service"Google Maps"

"Google Maps" is a web service that provides detailed visual information about geographic regions and places around the world. In addition to displaying a conventional road map, the service also offers aerial and satellite imagery of various locations, and there are images taken from various vehicles.


This is what the Google Maps start screen looks like.

Google Map includes several popular services:

  • The route planner offers the creation of routes for drivers and pedestrians who want to get from point A to point B;
  • The Google Maps API makes it possible to embed maps from Google maps on various sites;
  • Google Street View (Google StreetView) allows users to view the streets of various cities of the world, virtually moving through them;
  • Google Maps for mobile platforms offers the use of GPS navigation of mobile devices to position the user on the map;
  • Auxiliary services offer images of the Moon, Mars, clouds, and so on. for astronomers and just amateurs.

To start working with Google maps in full screen, launch the service google.com/maps. You will see a schematic map of the world (depending on the user's location, usually a map of Europe).

Instructions for using the map from Google

The Google Maps service interface looks like this:


Additional options in the Menu item

Also in the Google Maps menu bar, which opens by pressing the menu button at the top left, the following useful options are presented:

  • « Satellite» - Switches to photographic map display mode, created using satellite photos. Pressing this option again switches the map back to schematic mode;
  • « Traffic jams» - shows the current traffic jams in major cities. The color gradation from green to red shows the speed of traffic in the specified traffic jams;
  • « Transport» - allows you to display the schematics of the movement public transport in the right place;
  • « Relief» – allows you to display the terrain of the area
  • « Transfer of geodata» - allows people to follow the location of each other using Google Maps;
  • « My places» - allows you to move between the places you added in the Google Maps service;
  • « Your impressions» - allows you to add some textual impression about any of the places on the map (as well as attach a photo of this place).

Activate Google Maps Satellite View

Displaying Google maps using satellite photos is one of the most popular forms of working with the Google Maps service. It allows you to enjoy the view of the desired geographical location, created using satellite images, as well as images from special devices operating at a bird's eye view (from 240 to 460 meters).

The received photographs are regularly updated (their age is no more than 3 years). They enable each user to enjoy the view of the desired places from the satellite, visually pave the most convenient road from one place to another, and so on.


Google Earth - allows you to enjoy high-resolution images

Among the features of the Google Maps service is the Google Earth service. In addition to the technology of the already well-known satellite mapping of the surface of the globe, Google Earth allows you to view 3D images of many colorful places, while photos of some famous tourist sites have the highest resolution.

A feature of this service is also two, in our opinion, the main functions:


Conclusion

The service "Google Maps" (Google Maps) allows you to view satellite maps in real time for free, so take advantage various forms navigation to plot a user-friendly route. At the same time, Google Maps competitors - Yandex.Maps, Bing Maps, Apple Maps and other analogues are generally inferior to Google maps both in terms of coverage and in general functionality. Therefore, we recommend using Google maps to search and visually view the geographical object you need.