Module 12: Google Earth

     This week our lab assignment was completely different than any other lab assignments we've had in this class. Instead of using Corel or Arcmap, this week was all about utilizing the Google Earth software. Google Earth is a 3D mapping software available for free download. It is very popular and is used by many as their means to explore the world. Google Earth contains a plethora of data, such as cities and roads from all over the world as well as user uploaded photos and much much more. There are many features of this software that allow the user to create a personal and unique experience. For example, the user is able to add their own layers specific to what data they want to be presented, this can be done within the software or a KML layer file can be opened with Google Earth too. Other features include celestial settings, where you can explore the sky, moon or mars, historical imagery, which gives a visual timeline of an area that shows the changes over the years, as well as tours and sightseeing tours, Google Earth offers sightseeing tours of landmarks and popular places within an area, also tours can be customized according to what you would like to see.
     In our lab assignment we learned how to convert a map document from ArcMap to a KML file that can be opened in Google Earth as well as converting a layer file to a KML file. This is an important skill to know for those that use mapping software often such as ArcMap because it offers additional features only available on Google Earth which helps to make your map easier and more fun to interpret by other map users. The next part of the assignment was to create a tour of South Florida using the dot map document that was converted from ArcMap. This part of the lab taught us how to navigate around Google Earth and how to use some of it's important features, such as adding place marks, and how to manage layers.
     This screenshot is from my tour of South Florida, it is of downtown Tampa. I chose this shot because I preferred how these 3D models looked over the other 3D models in the tour, this is because remote sensing technology was used to collect data in downtown Tampa resulting in photo realistic 3D models.