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Google Earth, Google Maps update provides sharper images
Users of Google Earth and Google Maps can now view clearer and sharper images on the two apps, thanks to a shift from using the Landsat 7 to the Landsat 8 satellite.
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Brazil is viewed with Google Maps' new upgraded imagery. (Google Blog/-)
G
oogle has launched an update for Google Earth and Google Maps, featuring an upgrade to its satellite imagery. Now users can view clearer and sharper images on the two apps, thanks to a shift from using the Landsat 7 to the Landsat 8 satellite.
Google said on its blog that Landsat 8 was launched into orbit in 2013 and was able to capture images with greater detail, truer colors and at an unprecedented frequency, capturing twice as many images as Landsat 7 does every day.
The map is compiled from mining nearly a petabyte of Landsat imagery, or 700 trillion individual pixels, to find the best cloud-free images to use. On its blog, Google acknowledged the Landsat program and its commitment to free and accessible open data.
To see how sharp the upgrade is, open Google Earth or simply turn on the satellite layer in your Google Maps app.
