The Google Earth project really blew users’ minds as soon as it appeared on the Internet. At that time, no one could even think that they would have the opportunity to view objects and landmarks in 3D in detail.
What you see on Google Earth is made up of satellite images. It is the satellite that allows you to see the whole world on your PC monitor in the first place. However, the world is constantly changing, with new skyscrapers being built, like the Burj Khalifa or a whole city of skyscrapers that would be interesting to see in 3D.
That’s why new images are constantly coming in from satellites to update the picture in Google Earth. However, it doesn’t happen as often as you might think at first glance.
How does Google Earth collect images?
The images you see on Google Earth are collected over time from special platforms. You can use the program in street view, bird’s-eye view, and 3D. But you can’t do it in real-time, unfortunately.
Some images have a single date taken, and some have a series of dates taken over several days or months. If you want more information about when the image was taken, it is best to contact the original image providers, as Google cannot provide additional information about the images other than what it currently shows.
How often is Google Earth updated?
Satellite data on Google Maps is typically 1 to 3 years old. According to the Google Earth blog, the data usually updates about once a month, but they may not show real-time images. Google Earth collects data from a variety of satellite and aerial photo sources, and it can take months to process, compare and adjust the data before it appears on the map.
There are times when Google Maps updates imagery in real time to mark important events and assist in emergencies. For example, the company updated images for the 2012 London Olympics just before the opening ceremony, and shortly after the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, it provided updated satellite crisis maps to help relief teams assess the damage and identify places in need of help.
These real-time updates are uncommon, and map enthusiasts can enjoy viewing the maps by watching the instant satellite imagery update. Otherwise, waiting months or even years for updates isn’t uncommon.
What does Google Earth update?
If you’re looking forward to updating your hometown, you’ll be very lucky if it shows up in the next Google Earth update. The thing is, the company doesn’t update the whole map at a time. Instead, they update parts of the map.
One Google Earth update can contain multiple cities or states. When Google releases an update, they also release a KLM file in which the updated regions are circled in red, thereby letting everyone know what has been changed and what is still waiting to be updated.
Why isn’t Google Earth constantly updated?
This is because Google Earth uses a combination of satellite imagery and aerial photos. Both are time-consuming, and aerial photos in particular are expensive. Google would have to hire pilots constantly traveling around the world to keep up with potential changes.
Instead, Google is finding a more practical way out of this situation. They aim to keep every area of the globe within 3 years. But more often than not, they still update the big cities and landmarks.
Can you ask Google Earth for an update?
Google, unfortunately, won’t listen to requests to update your particular area. It has a system in place to keep the imagery as up-to-date as possible. If they were to accommodate every request, their schedule would fall apart.
This thought may seem strange, but check the “historical” images to find more recent ones. Google doesn’t always put the most recent pictures on the app. Sometimes they use slightly older snapshots and put modern ones in historical snapshots.
Sometimes slightly older photos are considered more accurate, as in the case of New Orleans after Katrina. Google updated photos of the city immediately after the disaster. Later, they restored photos of the city taken before the disaster. These pictures were more “accurate” as the area began to recover.
Read Also:
- 3D aerial photos of famous landmarks are now available on Google Maps
- How to check air quality in Google Maps
- How to check how busy the store is right now in Google Maps
How to view historical Google Earth images
To do this, you will need to use the desktop version of Google Earth.
- To begin, navigate to the area you want to see in the past.
- Then click on the clock icon on the top toolbar.
- A slider will appear in the upper left corner of the screen. Click and drag this slider to move between different date ranges. Remote or less populated parts of the world are likely to have fewer date ranges to choose from.
- Since Google Earth collects its images from different sets, the date range shown is the earliest of the set.
- Hover your cursor over the Earth and look at the date information at the bottom of the screen to see the exact date this section was updated.
Also, keep in mind that 3D buildings won’t automatically disappear when you view older images. This means that you will see things like the London Eye, which was completed in 2000, as well as images of London in 1945. To solve this problem, deselect 3D buildings in the Layers section to hide them for accuracy.
