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Now Explore Mars Better on Google Earth
Techtree News Staff, Mar 16, 2009 1228 hrs ISTGoogle adds a lot of new features
To satisfy the long-standing demands of its Martian user base, Google has further added a number of new features to the recently launched Google Earth 5.0.
The new features will give you a glimpse into the evolution of Mars over the course of history with the help pf maps created by astronomers like Giovanni Schiaparelli and Percival Lowell in the 'Historical Maps' layer.
You can also fast-forward more than a century with the 'Live from Mars' layer to view the latest images from NASA's THEMIS camera on board the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, sometimes just hours after NASA receives them. You can also see live satellite orbital tracks, or check out where the HiRISE camera plans to image next.
Another interesting feature added to Google Earth is the 'Guided Tours' feature. If you're not sure where to go on Mars, Google lets Bill Nye and Public Radio's Ira Flatow, host of Science Friday show you around. You can go to the Mars Gallery layer, and double-click either of their tours for a narrated trip around the Martian surface. Google claims that this is a great way to introduce oneself to some of the most interesting spots on the planet - just sit back, and enjoy the ride. If something catches your eye, you can pause these tours at any time and explore on your own, then hit play to resume your journey.
Apart from these features, there's a browseable layer of Google's favorite satellite images, visible and infrared global views, geo-located excerpts from A Traveler's Guide to Mars, and others. Google has also included 3D models of NASA rovers. Also, you can use the search box to locate famous sites like the 'face on Mars', just like surfing Earth.
So what are you waiting for? Go explore the Red Planet on Google Earth and let us know about your experience.
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