Google announced via the LatLong Blog today that they’ve refreshed Maps and Earth with over 800,000MP of all new, crystal clear satellite imagery.
Using their very own Google Earth Engine and images taken from NASA’s Landsat 7 satellite, you can now view Earth as she was meant to be seen, without the pesky atmosphere getting in the way. Besides clearer, higher-resolution images, Google was able to effectively remove clouds and other atmospheric effects from the earth, allowing Maps and Google Earth users to view the planet completely uninterrupted. The results are pretty dramatic (see below).
As for the future, Maps and Earth will only continue to improve. Google is currently waiting to get their hands on images taken from the upgraded Landsat 8 satellite that was launched earlier this year. Exploring planet Earth has never been more fun.