Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with maps and satellite

What can you see in satellite photos?

k. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:33:01 -0800

Satellite photos: what interesting features can be seen or measured in them (or other aerial photos), and where can I get a supply of images? Examples I have already seen, from some crude Google-searching:
Roads
Buildings
Degree of development (urban/suburban/rural)
Oil spills (apparently these are usually hard to see)
Blooms of algae (cyanobacteria) in the Baltic Sea
Damage to buildings from earthquakes

More would be appreciated--the more specific, the better. These will be used in a computer vision system, so I'd especially like to know where I can find a supply of images containing whatever feature I'm looking for (including the above)--easy for buildings or roads, but hard for rare events like oil spills. Natural disasters seem interesting, if there are pictures available.

I would also consider some other kind of non-photographic data as well, if it could be combined with maps or photos. Don't worry whether you think it's suitable; any idea you have will help!

If I must have a title, make it some pithy comment about the Yukon's Menstruation, I suppose.

converge — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:02:33 -0800

What is this? 60°24'37.66"N 130°48'59.78"W. View it in satellite on Google Maps or Earth. This has been bugging me for a couple of months. Forest fire? Maybe. But it seems to go much higher than the tree line (yeah, I get that the heat could possibly distort the sat pic) and shows up in a few sources (though, this area is probably not photographed much). I'm sure its not beetle kill. Might it be a huge copper deposit or some such?

What is this location I spotted from Google maps?

soulbarn — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:17:37 -0800

Does anyone know what this facility is (google satellite image, Action, California.) It looks like a nursery, or something similar, but I'm trying to get more specifics for a hiking guide I'm working on (without taking the long, long drive out there.)

Crazy Farm Equipment?!!

DrSkrud — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:44:01 -0800

What's going on in these strange circular regions (pictured here) in Christmas Valley, OR? My guess: Some kind of circular crop field, with a big rotating arm that does tilling/harvesting. If my guess is right, what kind of farm equipment is that and where can I learn more about it? If my guess is wrong, what is it?

High-res color day/night visible satellite images?

idontlikewords — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 18:12:54 -0800

Where can I get high-res color visible satellite images showing the approach of "night" (sample low-res link inside)? Here's the low-res version (from weather underground) of what I'm looking for:

http://antinomian.com/trans/satBanner.jpg

Any idea where I can get a version suitable for printing or at least desktop wallpaper? I've looked around a bit and found some high-res stuff that is monochrome or has the "dark" portion totally blacked out e.g. http://antinomian.com/trans/blackedOut.jpg but that's not nearly so neat looking, IMHO.

I need a good photo or surface map of the Bermuda triangle--one that will print well on A4.

armoured-ant — Thu, 01 Apr 2004 17:34:10 -0800

I need a photo or map of the Bermuda trangle area, preferably a physical (rather than political map), if satellite photos can't be found. I need it at a decent resolution, too. Something that could be printed on A4 without looking too mucky.

Are there any sites that can output a specified area of Earth surface at a decent resolution?