Google Mars Service Updated

Posted by Prem Godara | 3/15/2009 12:51:00 AM | , , | 0 comments »

Google Mars is a map of Mars, published by Percival Lowell in 1895, was the result of many years spent carefully studying the Red Planet through his telescope. Now the same can be seen through your Web browser. Google Mars was at first an in-browser version of Google Maps which provides a visible imagery view, like Google Moon, as well as infrared imagery and shaded relief (elevation). Users can toggle between the elevation, visible, and infrared data, in the same manner as switching between map, satellite, and hybrid modes of Google Maps. In collaboration with NASA scientists at the Mars Space Flight Facility located at Arizona State University, Google has provided the public with data collected from two NASA Mars missions, Mars Global Surveyor and 2001 Mars Odyssey.

Now Google has updated its Google Mars service to show more details of Mars both in its history and the present day. Users can access images from the Themis camera on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. They can also view antique maps of Mars from over a century ago, as well as the latest images from the Mars spacecraft.



Now, internet users will be able to explore the Red Planet's surface, keep track of orbiters and see the 'face' in the planet's surface. They will also be able to go on virtual fly-bys with the Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The new initiative has led bookies to slash the odds on the possibility of finding life on Mars from 500/1 to 50/1.

Scientists believe Mars is the most likely planet to harbour liquid water, and perhaps even primitive life. Mars is currently also host to three functional orbiting spacecraft – Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



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