Google Earth Exercise #1
Objective:
Process:
To explore some of the capabilities of satellite coverage available through
the free Google Earth program.
Double click on the Google Earth icon on your desktop, or click on the
Start button, go into the All Programs folder, then select Google Earth.
Once enabled, note the “Startup Tip” which can be closed or disabled/
Notice the "Layers" that can be selected. Select (check) Borders and
Labels, Places, Photos, and Roads.
See the Earth with the Northern Hemisphere with country boundaries.
Click on “Weather” and look for rain, snow, etc. Click on “Global
Awareness” and see some of the choices.
In the Search tab (upper left), type Texas A&M University, then press the
Enter key. This should zoom in to show the main campus.
To measure distances, click on Tools on the command line (or bar) then
select Ruler. Note that you can measure distance along a line or a path
and that the units of measurement can be changed. On this version of
Google Earth, you cannot directly measure area, but you can estimate of
compute it from measurements that you make.
Notice that you can move the map by grabbing (left clicking) and dragging
it over. With the controls at the upper right you can zoom in or zoom out,
rotate, and tilt the view. There is a compass indicator on the map and
North is normally at the top of the image.
Under View on the command line you can also add a grid displaying
latitude and longitude. You can also turn on the tour guide and an
overview map. On the Google Earth Pro program (cost is currently $399)
you can measure areas, key in waypoints, tracks and routes from your GPS
devices and mesh with GIS databases.
Note that you can also identify the latitude and longitude by the pointer
location at the bottom of the image.
Assignment: Use the Google Earth program to answer the following questions.
Check the accuracy of the ruler tool. Find Kyle Field on the University campus. Use
tools and ruler to measure the straight line distance from goal line to goal line. Since the
lines do have a width, an exact reading is unlikely. What is the distance you measure and
what is the percentage error?
______________distance in feet between goals
______________ percentage error [(measured-actual)/actual distance ]
What is the distance, in feet, from the flagpole in front of the Systems Administration
Building of the Texas A&M University campus to the rounded corner of the property at
Texas Avenue and George Bush Drive?
____________ feet
What is the distance, in feet, from the center of the intersection of Texas Avenue and
George Bush Drive to the center of the intersection of Texas Avenue and Southwest
Parkway in College Station?
____________ feet
If you were to walk the perimeter of the main campus of Texas A&M University along
University Drive, Texas Avenue, George Bush Drive and the Welborn road, how many
miles would you walk (to the nearest quarter of a mile)?
____________ miles
What is the difference between the straight line distance from the intersection of
Southwest Parkway and Texas Avenue to the intersection of Southwest Parkway and the
Welborn Road and the distance if you follow the road (to the nearest 1/100 of a mile)?
____________ miles
What is the closest Interstate Highway to the town of Ozark, Illinois?
____________
What is the straight-line distance between the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in
Paris, France, in kilometers?
____________ kilometers
Using Google Earth, what are the latitude and longitude of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris,
France?
____________
____________
Latitude
Longitude
What is the approximate area, in acres, of the golf course property bounded by Texas
Avenue, George Bush Drive, Bizzell Street, and New Main Drive?
____________ acres
What structure is at 37°25’19”N 122°05’06.3”W ?
What is the structure at 30°39’23.32” N and 96°20’01”W?
What business is located at the junction of Sulphur Springs Road and Holick Lane in
Bryan Texas?
What are the circular patterns (visible at an altitude of 10 miles at 37°42’N, 105°58’W?
What is the business at 37°42’17.04”N, 105°52’03.40W?
Find the Aral Sea and record its latitude and longitude. View its historical coverage and
record the years for the first and the most recent coverage. What is the trend for this
body of water?
Latitude:
Longitude:
First year of coverage:
Most recent coverage:
Trend:
Use the street view feature of Google Earth to find a view of your home (or college
apartment, etc.) and use the screen capture (Print Screen) feature to place a copy of the
image below. If there is no street view available (if you live in a rural area, for example),
then do a screen capture of a favorite local restaurant.