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Entire Moon Added To Google Earth

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-sign-of-a-fully-operational-battlestation dept.

CNETNate writes "Complete with Street View-like panoramas, 3D models of spacecraft now left abandoned on the moon's surface, and guided tours from the voices of Apollo astronauts, Google's recent update to Google Earth marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with an enormous update. It's a collaboration with NASA and other agencies, and follows the launch of Google Earth 5.0 which, amongst other things, added the ability to explore our planet's oceans. There are a number of original creations — such as the 3D mock-up of the Apollo 11 spacecraft and its astronauts — and you can download the new version from Google now."

13 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. So Fake by Stu1706 · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is so fake. We did not go to the moon. I looked all over and could not find the dark side either. And where is all the cheese?

    1. Re:So Fake by interkin3tic · · Score: 4, Funny

      We didn't go to the moon? Alright smart guy, how do you think google got the street view team driving around the moon then?!?

  2. Moon "added to Earth"? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

    So sweet. Finally together, after billions of years apart!

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
    1. Re:Moon "added to Earth"? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Informative

      I doubt. The moon is indeed slowly moving away, but this is due to energy and angular momentum transfers between Earth and Moon. Moon can't suddenly get twice the kinetic energy it has now and fly away. It has been calculated that the Moon's orbital period would stabilize at approximately 47 days, after enough energy will have been transfered that the rotation of Earth will match the movement of the Moon, thereby effectively stopping all the tidal interactions. I said "would stabilize" because this is supposed to happen well after Sun's red giant phase which has the potential to throw these calculations off a bit (i.e., Moon is likely to experience some drag at that time). (I don't know whether this factor has been included into the calculations, Wikipedia references dead tree materials I don't have handy, but these numbers seem trustworthy.)

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  3. Re:Too lazy to check myself. by doti · · Score: 4, Informative

    Just checked it now, and it was removed.
    Now that there's nothing to spoil: when you zoomed close enough, it showed the moon surface made of cheese.

    --
    factor 966971: 966971
  4. Better or worse than NASA World Wind? by Kligat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    NASA World Wind and its add-ons tend to use a single data set for each layer rather than a pastiche of the highest resolution imagery available like Google Earth's, so when I compared it to Mars in 5.0, it had a more cohesive view with a more navigable user interface, with no load time since you can download the entire cache as an add-on.

  5. Re:Too lazy to check myself. by lorenlal · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's neat that Google does interesting things like this, but it blows my mind how a company that plays so much can survive.

    It could also be why they survive so well. If it's okay to play a little like that, and you *gasp* enjoy what you do at work...

  6. Re:Too lazy to check myself. by Thomas+M+Hughes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's neat that Google does interesting things like this, but it blows my mind how a company that plays so much can survive.

    Keep in mind that the vast majority of the Internet has some form of Google advertising on it somewhere. So, it's not an exaggeration to say "Time you spend on the Internet, in almost any form generates profit for Google." Thus, it's in their interest to encourage you, in a wide variety of ways, to spend time on the Internet.

    So, Google Earth allows you to play with various maps. That may cause you to become interested in a specific location, which causes you to use Google Search (+profit) to find a website (+profit) that discusses the location that you were interested in. Interested in the moon? Again, Google Earth to the Apollo Lander, Google Search Apollo Program (+profit), find various websites about the Apollo Program. Some, if not most, of these sites will have adsense (+profit).

    I suppose what may be more surprising is that this business plan is actually wildly profitable, instead of just speculative.

  7. Re:Too lazy to check myself. by camperdave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think it's kind of sad that they removed the cheese, and the "swim across the Atlantic" gags from Google maps. When a company takes itself too seriously, they get stale and stuffy and set in their ways.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  8. Sheep! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why are you all such mindless sheep? We never went to the moon, period. Think for yourself for a change why don't you? The information is out there, you just need to know where to look. Start with obscure self-published books and newsletters, and work your way up to poorly designed websites with blinking text. There is an absolute wealth of pseudo-science out there people that clearly proves the moon landings were a hoax contrived by the Pentablet at their secret meeting place called "The Meadows". Turn the TV off and go learn the truth...

  9. You don't know Dick by whowantscream · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bet you Dick Cheney's moon base is blurred out...

    --
    Nobody? OK no cream.
  10. Re:Too lazy to check myself. by Convector · · Score: 5, Funny

    Enjoying your job is the same as stealing from the company.

  11. Re:Too lazy to check myself. by Dragoness+Eclectic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Who modded a Dilbert quote "Insightful"? Go give yourself 50 lashes with a wet noodle if you did.

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    ---dragoness