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.