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Google Maps Now Lets You Explore Your Local Planets and Moons (cnet.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the coming-soon dept.

Google has added three planets and nine moons to Google Maps. "The heavenly bodies include Saturn moons Dione, Enceladus, Iapetus, Mimas, Rhea and Titan, and Jupiter moons Europa, Ganymede and Io," reports CNET. "Google also added dwarf-planets Pluto and Ceres and full-planet Venus." From the report: Once inside Google Maps for planets, you can spin the space objects around, get more information on their place names and zoom in for a closer look. The new worlds are possible thanks to imagery from NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's dearly departed Cassini spacecraft sent back a treasure trove of views of Saturn's moons. If you have a few moments to spare, fire up a browser, go to your current location on Google Maps, enter satellite mode and hit the zoom-out button until you've left the planet and are "floating" in space. A list of available planets and moons pops up on the side and you're off on your space adventure.

53 comments

  1. How did I know that they were going to color Venus by Rei · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ... orange? They always draw the surface orange or red.

    Venus's surface is primarily basalts. Which are dark gray. More specifically MORBs, and in particular the gabbro family. Daylight is yellowish-orange, but the surface is not.

    Anyway, it's a rather neat tool, so kudos to them for making it :)

    --
    I'll BUILD someone to replace you. Some kind of gamma-powered monster, with a heart as black as coal!
  2. Re:How did I know that they were going to color Ve by Rei · · Score: 1

    Okay, that's kind of annoying - they appear to only have topo maps for Earth, the Moon, Mercury and Mars.

    Meh - even Celestia is better. Of course, it doesn't run in your browser....

    --
    I'll BUILD someone to replace you. Some kind of gamma-powered monster, with a heart as black as coal!
  3. Google Maps Now Lets You Explore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...Your Local Planets and Moons.

    And destroy them.

    1. Re:Google Maps Now Lets You Explore by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "That's no moon"

    2. Re:Google Maps Now Lets You Explore by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

      Upon first witnessing the glory and splendor of the Universe, they casually, whimsically, decided to destroy it, remarking, "It'll have to go".

  4. Re:How did I know that they were going to color Ve by Cryacin · · Score: 1

    They're just preparing supporting material for their Frame Shift Drives (http://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/Frame_Shift_Drive). Pretty soon you'll be able to hail an Uber to get there.

    --
    Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
  5. Street View? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Where's the street view?

    1. Re:Street View? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where's the street view?

      Of Uranus. :-D

      There. Someone had to say it.

      Capcha - gassed

    2. Re:Street View? by michelcolman · · Score: 1

      Oh, and can users add local businesses?

    3. Re:Street View? by tonique · · Score: 1

      Well are there streets on Venus or Mimas?

    4. Re:Street View? by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      It looks like they took the street view cameras to the space station, that's pretty cool. I'm sure that's old news at this point though. But I appreciate some of the place names on Pluto. Cthulhu Regio, Morgoth Macula, Balrog Macula, etc.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    5. Re:Street View? by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      The space station street view is actually of a ground-based replica at the Johnson Space Center.

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    6. Re:Street View? by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

      WEB OF LIES!

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
  6. classic by N3wsByt3 · · Score: 1

    I, for one, welcome our mooning google-overlords!

    --
    --- "To pee or not to pee, that is the question." ---
  7. nowhere is safe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    google's spying and data gathering juggernaut extends all the way to the cosmos.

    1. Re:nowhere is safe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Somone has to show relevant ads to the moon nazis and aliens.

  8. incomplete by NoZart · · Score: 1

    Where's the "directions" - button?

    1. Re:incomplete by olsmeister · · Score: 1

      I asked for turn by turn directions to Mars, and it took me to Elon Musk's estate?

    2. Re:incomplete by Freischutz · · Score: 1

      I asked for turn by turn directions to Mars, and it took me to Elon Musk's estate?

      Funny, I asked the same question and the hit Google gave me was a cul-de-sac in a little village south of Lyon in France.
      Mercury, the hit Google gave me was a tour operator in San Francisco
      Venus, the hit Google gave me was ... uhumm... a brothel in Berlin.
      Saturn, the hit Google gave me was Saturn Electronics in Belchford, UK.
      Neptune, the hit Google gave me was the Neptune hotel, in Weybridge, London, UK.
      Uranus, Aapparently there is a place in Paris called IBM Uranus.

    3. Re:incomplete by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      I BM Ur anus? I feel sorry for the people who work there.

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  9. I don't... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't have local planets and moons ... the solarsystem I live in DOES... /r/titlegore

    1. Re:I don't... by cyberchondriac · · Score: 1

      You can't have another "solar" system, there's only one star system around Sol and we're in it.

      --

      Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
    2. Re:I don't... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      OK call them the dolar system, the relar system, the milar system, the falar system...

  10. One day, by Bender+Unit+22 · · Score: 1

    someone will find that article and think. Why can they only get access to look at plantes local to them and not the ones local to everybody else.

    1. Re: One day, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Those clever enough to access sites outside facebook will understand.

  11. I'm holding out for the Waze version by Photonmaker · · Score: 5, Funny

    Planetary travel takes too long using the conventional routes that Google Maps is likely to select, Waze might be the answer to this. There is the downside risk that it will route you through a planet's core to save a few hours of spaceflight.

    1. Re:I'm holding out for the Waze version by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The article is obviously bogus. I mean, how'd they get the camera car out there?

    2. Re:I'm holding out for the Waze version by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Planetary travel takes too long using the conventional routes that Google Maps is likely to select, Waze might be the answer to this. There is the downside risk that it will route you through a planet's core to save a few hours of spaceflight.

      Knowing how well Waze's positioning doesn't work, it will probably think there's a hyperspace bypass going straight through Earth.

    3. Re:I'm holding out for the Waze version by lord_mike · · Score: 1

      I hear that's coming soon. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at the local planning department on Alpha Centauri for 50 years now!

  12. Not true by houghi · · Score: 2

    I was looking for my moon (Well, the moon from my planet) and all I saw was a moon from a place called Dirt or Earth. Looked it up and the only info I saw was "Mostly Harmless".

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    1. Re: Not true by bestweasel · · Score: 1

      That's out of date: now it says "Please do not touch".

  13. Let's chec out the moon. by Dirk+Becher · · Score: 1

    Oh no, another Starbucks.

  14. How did they do that.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Howâ(TM)d they get the streetcars up to those planets?

  15. Elon Musk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Elon Musk will create a hyperloop to all these places.

  16. What if I'm not local? by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

    Can I VPN in if I am not local? Anyone know of a free one that works well?

    1. Re:What if I'm not local? by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

      Google servers are on Earth, that's fine.

      --
      Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
  17. Trip planning ? by Boutzev · · Score: 1

    Yes, but can you plan a trip to Mars ?

  18. Oh girl! by GrBear · · Score: 1

    I always wanted a good long look at Uranus.

  19. All computer generated renders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    total BS and scam by all of the agencies.

  20. Re:How did I know that they were going to color Ve by Kjella · · Score: 4, Funny

    Okay, that's kind of annoying - they appear to only have topo maps for Earth, the Moon, Mercury and Mars.

    Hereby nominated for the "21st century problems" award...

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  21. New VirginMobile TOS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    VirginMobile is now selling my "anonymous" location data, websites I've been to, if I hit the back button going from one website to another, and I have no real opt out choice. Data is the new currency in this life. :(

  22. Celestia Update? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So where's the Celestia update with the new imagery?

  23. Missing shirt... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google doesn't include a "Back In My Day We Had Nine Planets" shirt.

  24. Do they include timelines? by TykeClone · · Score: 1

    Like when that hyperspace bypass will finally be completed?

    --
    A fine is a tax you pay for doing wrong and a tax is a fine you pay for doing all right.
  25. A: Because it breaks the flow of a message by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1

    Q: Why is starting a comment in the Subject: field incredibly irritating?

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    1. Re:A: Because it breaks the flow of a message by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      What's the most annoying thing on usenet?

      > Q: Why is starting a comment in the Subject: field incredibly
      > irritating?

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  26. Venusville by Zorro · · Score: 1

    For reasons...

  27. Re:How did I know that they were going to color Ve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah, so wrong. I expected Venus to look like it really would in person, with searing pain as my eyeballs dissolve. The outer moons were just as bad. It is way to dark to see much of anything and my eyeballs didn't freeze! Totally fake news.

  28. Sorry, but by argStyopa · · Score: 1

    ...why the FUCK would you even link to CNET? What the hell, is this HuffPost now?

    The only links that should be present are GOOGLE MAPS BLOG: https://www.blog.google/produc... and the gmaps link itself (which the OP did link).

    --
    -Styopa
  29. The Planets and moons... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, I’m liking the optimism in the headline. Like MY planets and moons may not be the same as YOUR planets and moons...

    1. Re:The Planets and moons... by reboot246 · · Score: 1

      You're right! My local planets and moons aren't the same as yours, Earthling.

  30. Re:How did I know that they were going to color Ve by amicusNYCL · · Score: 1

    It would be cool if they showed the atmosphere like they do with Earth, where if you're zoomed out far enough it will show the cloud layer. They could have done that with Venus and Titan, show the atmosphere from far out but when you get closer it fades and you can see the surface.

    --
    "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
  31. Re:How did I know that they were going to color Ve by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

    With the atmosphere of Venus being as thick as it is, how you would see the surface when standing on it is considerably affected by the air. It would not look dark gray -- it did not look dark gray to Venera 3 when the probe landed. Comparison: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/publi...

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