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Interesting Google Satellite images:

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Sufferin' Prius Envy, Feb 6, 2007.

  1. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    I was just goofin' off with Google Satellite images and ran across this image which I find quite interesting.
    I have been there, so I knew what to look for.

    The satellite image

    The satellite actually caught the Old Faithful Geyser of California erupting! :eek:
    [It's the dark circle in the middle of the image with a white streak pointing toward the three o'clock position (wind from the west blowing the geyser toward the east), and a long shadow on the ground at the 12 o'clock position (image probably taken around 11:30am) ]
    http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/home.htm


    Have you found any interesting images you would like to share?
     
    #1 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Feb 6, 2007
  2. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    I've spent untold hours on google Earth... Pyramids of Egypt, Eiffel Tower, and a bunch of other stuff... I'd post up, but can't at the moment... :ph34r:
     
    #2 Mystery Squid, Feb 6, 2007
  3. dragonfly

    dragonfly New Member

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    So..... who lives at 1299 Tubbs Lane? :)
     
    #3 dragonfly, Feb 7, 2007
  4. bigdaddy

    bigdaddy Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Feb 6 2007, 02:33 PM) [snapback]386200[/snapback]</div>
    Interesting. Given all of that info, can you tell what day of the year it was?
     
    #4 bigdaddy, Feb 7, 2007
  5. nerfer

    nerfer A young senior member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigdaddy @ Feb 7 2007, 09:32 PM) [snapback]386811[/snapback]</div>
    Well, I'm not too in-sync with California seasons and crops, but the areas planted in Eurasian grasses (like lawns and pastures to some degree) are green, and the fields and natural areas are brown. Typically they take these pictures in fall or spring so the tree leaves don't block as much of the buildings and ground. (Snow on the ground is also not good, probably don't need to worry about that in Calistoga). Would those be rows of grape vines to the WNW? Somebody familiar with grapes might be able to get a clue there if it's spring or fall.
     
    #5 nerfer, Feb 7, 2007
  6. dragonfly

    dragonfly New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Feb 7 2007, 08:20 PM) [snapback]386821[/snapback]</div>
    You were probably thrown off by the address typed in the address field... Yellowstone is in Montana.

    Oooooops!!! Oh boy do I feel dumb.... I was thinking all this time it was Old Faithful of Yellowstone. Didn't even know there was one in California. That's what I get for not reading carefully!!!!
     
    #6 dragonfly, Feb 7, 2007
  7. Sufferin' Prius Envy

    Sufferin' Prius Envy Platinum Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bigdaddy @ Feb 7 2007, 07:32 PM) [snapback]386811[/snapback]</div>
    Me, no. :( But it absolutely can be done.

    If you know the height of an object and that object casts a shadow . . . taking into account the angle of the shadow, the slope of the ground, and the length of the shadow, the time and day a satellite image was taken can be calculated quite easily. That exact length and angle can only happen once or twice per year (once if it is the summer or winter solstice.) Looking at the vegetation or man made clues can also help pinpoint the day.

    As an easy example, take the Sundial Bridge in Redding, CA (second sunniest city in the USA after Yuma, AZ).

    Just to give you and idea of what you are looking at with the satellite image – this is a great picture of the bridge from on the Sacramento River.
    http://www.beautifulvista.com/Recent_Photo...Dial_Bridge.jpg


    Sundial Bridge satellite image:
    http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&a....005407&t=k

    The fact that the shadow of the sundial terminates on the concrete semi-circle which has the time marks tells us that this picture was taken sometime near June 21st (Summer solstice).

    The angle of the shadow tells the time. The length of shadow at a particular angle tells us the day. That-length-at-that-angle-equals-that-day-at-that-time. Were this not an actual sundial, the same information would be able to be deduced with just about any satellite image. The exact location of the satellite can be triangulated. . . so too can the shadows and lengths.

    BUT, the shadow from the geyser is of little help because geysers erupt to differing heights and winds blow them around. ;)
     
    #7 Sufferin' Prius Envy, Feb 8, 2007
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