Google Earth: I can see my house from here!

How do you suppose Google Earth can show us any of our houses or nearly any place on Earth in such high definition without the aid of data from satellites? How long do you suppose it would take to so accurately map the surface of the Earth without the aid of satellites?

Not long.
If commercial flights were outfitted the same way they did street view.

How do you suppose Google Earth can show us any of our houses or nearly any place on Earth in such high definition without the aid of data from satellites? How long do you suppose it would take to so accurately map the surface of the Earth without the aid of satellites?

I don't like spoiling a good argument but detailed Google Earth images are from aerial photographs.

Google Earth, How images are collected
More about image types & their collection dates
Satellite & aerial images
The satellite and aerial images in Google Earth are taken by cameras on satellites and aircraft, which collect each image at a specific date and time.Those images can be used in Google Earth as a single image with the specific collection date, but sometimes:

• The images are combined into a mosaic of images taken over multiple days or months. These images are displayed as one seamless image and the date may change as you move your cursor around the map.
  
• There is limited information about the image collection and the date displayed reflects the start of a date range when the image was most likely collected.
  
• When the "3D Buildings" layer is turned on, the detailed terrain and buildings images are derived from aerial images collected over multiple dates, so Google Earth does not display a collection date.
  
• The collection date information is lost or inaccurate due to human error or other issues.

The source of the image will be shown when available.

Quote from: EvolvedMantisShrimp on July 27, 2019, 03:55:51 PM

How do you suppose Google Earth can show us any of our houses or nearly any place on Earth in such high definition without the aid of data from satellites? How long do you suppose it would take to so accurately map the surface of the Earth without the aid of satellites?

I don't like spoiling a good argument but detailed Google Earth images are from aerial photographs.

Quote

Google Earth, How images are collected
More about image types & their collection dates
Satellite & aerial images
The satellite and aerial images in Google Earth are taken by cameras on satellites and aircraft, which collect each image at a specific date and time.Those images can be used in Google Earth as a single image with the specific collection date, but sometimes:

• The images are combined into a mosaic of images taken over multiple days or months. These images are displayed as one seamless image and the date may change as you move your cursor around the map.
  
• There is limited information about the image collection and the date displayed reflects the start of a date range when the image was most likely collected.
  
• When the "3D Buildings" layer is turned on, the detailed terrain and buildings images are derived from aerial images collected over multiple dates, so Google Earth does not display a collection date.
  
• The collection date information is lost or inaccurate due to human error or other issues.

The source of the image will be shown when available.

If you will notice , at least some of them are frequently updated.
If you go back to them, you will notice the changes.

Quote from: EvolvedMantisShrimp on July 27, 2019, 03:55:51 PM

How do you suppose Google Earth can show us any of our houses or nearly any place on Earth in such high definition without the aid of data from satellites? How long do you suppose it would take to so accurately map the surface of the Earth without the aid of satellites?

I don't like spoiling a good argument but detailed Google Earth images are from aerial photographs.

Quote

Google Earth, How images are collected
More about image types & their collection dates
Satellite & aerial images
The satellite and aerial images in Google Earth are taken by cameras on satellites and aircraft, which collect each image at a specific date and time.Those images can be used in Google Earth as a single image with the specific collection date, but sometimes:

• The images are combined into a mosaic of images taken over multiple days or months. These images are displayed as one seamless image and the date may change as you move your cursor around the map.
  
• There is limited information about the image collection and the date displayed reflects the start of a date range when the image was most likely collected.
  
• When the "3D Buildings" layer is turned on, the detailed terrain and buildings images are derived from aerial images collected over multiple dates, so Google Earth does not display a collection date.
  
• The collection date information is lost or inaccurate due to human error or other issues.

The source of the image will be shown when available.

Sorry, you are wrong. Goole Earth images though not exclusively derived from Satelite images do in fact use them as their primary source.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth

Quote from: rabinoz on July 27, 2019, 06:39:34 PM

Quote from: EvolvedMantisShrimp on July 27, 2019, 03:55:51 PM

How do you suppose Google Earth can show us any of our houses or nearly any place on Earth in such high definition without the aid of data from satellites? How long do you suppose it would take to so accurately map the surface of the Earth without the aid of satellites?

I don't like spoiling a good argument but detailed Google Earth images are from aerial photographs.

Quote

Google Earth, How images are collected
More about image types & their collection dates
Satellite & aerial images
The satellite and aerial images in Google Earth are taken by cameras on satellites and aircraft, which collect each image at a specific date and time.Those images can be used in Google Earth as a single image with the specific collection date, but sometimes:

• The images are combined into a mosaic of images taken over multiple days or months. These images are displayed as one seamless image and the date may change as you move your cursor around the map.
  
• There is limited information about the image collection and the date displayed reflects the start of a date range when the image was most likely collected.
  
• When the "3D Buildings" layer is turned on, the detailed terrain and buildings images are derived from aerial images collected over multiple dates, so Google Earth does not display a collection date.
  
• The collection date information is lost or inaccurate due to human error or other issues.

The source of the image will be shown when available.

Sorry, you are wrong. Goole Earth images though not exclusively derived from Satelite images do in fact use them as their primary source.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth

The detailed images from a viewing height of a few hundred metres, as above,  come from aerial photographs - mainly from aircraft but even from "from kites, balloons, and drones".

About Google Earth Imagery
Not all the imagery in Google Earth comes from satellites. A lot of the imagery comes from aerial photographers – mostly in airplanes with special high resolution cameras. Some of the imagery even comes from kites, balloons, and drones. Google acquires imagery from a variety of sources. Some of the imagery is given to Google by city or state governments. The age of the imagery varies greatly, but most of the high resolution imagery is between 6 months and 5 years of age. Again, because the imagery comes from a variety of sources, the process to get this imagery into Google Earth is complex and involves a great deal of time and effort.

You may not think so, but what they actually do is at odds with what you think.
No one said all the imagery was from satellites, just that it’s the primary source.
What do you think now?

As the primary source for locations but the detail from low level heights comes from aerial photographs so whether anyone can see their house from satellite images is doubtful.

Most satellite imagery comes from LEO satellites. The Landsat 8 satellite is, for example, about 700 km above the earth.
In the visible light range it has spatial resolution in of 30 m so you might see where a house is but little more.
The topic is"Google Earth: I can see my house from here!"

You're both right in part, but rabinoz is more in error, especially with his last speculations.

Google Earth uses many different sources. It is reasonable to call satellite data a primary source, as it covers the most area; including all the remote, unpopulated areas, and areas for which there is no need to have resolution of a few inches.

Cities and populated areas require higher resolution, and are imaged with aerial photography. Frequently this is already done for local government property management purposes and Google acquires that data.

Quite a lot of Google Earth imagery that falls into the "need a reasonable, but not super-high aerial resolution imagery" comes from DigitalGlobe's and SIC's QuickBird II and WorldView, WV-2, WV-3 satellites (and by now, others). As time progressed from the turn of the century, the capabilities of these instruments -- and the internationally agreed limit on commercial image resolution -- went from 0.6m panchromatic (2.4m multispectral) to 0.5m (1.5m multi-) to 0.31m (1.24m multi-).

I've worked directly with these images, and it is absolutely possible to see houses in detail (I'll leave you to quibble about "such high definition"). You can also see cars in reasonable detail, count individual people in a scene, and see sub-pixel features such as painted lines in roadways.

Landsat 8 is a poor example of the limits of high-resolution imagery available to the public.

You can most definitely purchase an image directly from a commercial satellite imagery company that shows your house in sub-meter detail.

Two points:

OP was debunked.

Why is everyone using the quote reply vs just plain reply.

Two points:

OP was debunked.

Why is everyone using the quote reply vs just plain reply.

What part of the OP was debunked? The OP was two questions, so are you referring to the premises of the questions, or to the implied conclusions of the questions?

I used quote reply because my comments referred to several previous points, including specifically rabinoz's speculations that I didn't want to retype. I suppose I could have pared it down to just the relevant parts of the comments in question, but I didn't feel like doing that.

So, what is the confusion here?

Satellite imagery gives locations and distances, aerial imagery is incorporated to give detailed view.

Quote from: Themightykabool on July 29, 2019, 09:19:13 AM

Two points:

OP was debunked.

Why is everyone using the quote reply vs just plain reply.

What part of the OP was debunked? The OP was two questions, so are you referring to the premises of the questions, or to the implied conclusions of the questions?

I used quote reply because my comments referred to several previous points, including specifically rabinoz's speculations that I didn't want to retype. I suppose I could have pared it down to just the relevant parts of the comments in question, but I didn't feel like doing that.

Correct
Debunk the incorrect word.
Implied bunking.

I use reply quote mostly for that reason too because i do this on my phone.
Unlikr jackB who can annoy wise to no end with splitting his responses.
Ha

So, what is the confusion here?

Satellite imagery gives locations and distances, aerial imagery is incorporated to give detailed view.

The confusion is that Rabinoz is under the impression that the limit of commercial satellite imagery resolution is on the order of 30m, so a house is visible, but with no details.

Commercial satellite imagery used for metropolitan images today is commonly available at 1-2 meter resolution, and frequently sub-meter resolution, making a reasonably detailed view of a house possible in Google Earth with just a satellite image.

It is then supplemented with aerial imagery to give imagery like the example given.

Quote from: Macarios on July 29, 2019, 12:26:37 PM

So, what is the confusion here?

Satellite imagery gives locations and distances, aerial imagery is incorporated to give detailed view.

The confusion is that Rabinoz is under the impression that the limit of commercial satellite imagery resolution is on the order of 30m, so a house is visible, but with no details.

Commercial satellite imagery used for metropolitan images today is commonly available at 1-2 meter resolution, and frequently sub-meter resolution, making a reasonably detailed view of a house possible in Google Earth with just a satellite image.

Evidence?

It is then supplemented with aerial imagery to give imagery like the example given.

Quote from: Curiouser and Curiouser on July 29, 2019, 01:28:07 PM

Quote from: Macarios on July 29, 2019, 12:26:37 PM

So, what is the confusion here?

Satellite imagery gives locations and distances, aerial imagery is incorporated to give detailed view.

The confusion is that Rabinoz is under the impression that the limit of commercial satellite imagery resolution is on the order of 30m, so a house is visible, but with no details.

Commercial satellite imagery used for metropolitan images today is commonly available at 1-2 meter resolution, and frequently sub-meter resolution, making a reasonably detailed view of a house possible in Google Earth with just a satellite image.

Evidence?

Quote from: Curiouser and Curiouser

It is then supplemented with aerial imagery to give imagery like the example given.

I would think that with your propensity for finding and trusting information online, you would have no trouble verifying something as simple as the resolution of high-resolution satellite imagery, once you were given the names of some of the companies and satellites with that capability.

But since you seem amazed that your speculation was called out as incorrect and are reluctant to go looking, here is just one example.

https://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/worldview-3/

https://content.satimagingcorp.com/static/galleryimages/Satellite-Image-2016-Olympics-Rio-De-Janeiro.jpg

(Go directly to the link for a full sized image; the included image is limited by the width of your screen)

Quote from: rabinoz on July 29, 2019, 04:38:18 PM

Quote from: Curiouser and Curiouser on July 29, 2019, 01:28:07 PM

Quote from: Macarios on July 29, 2019, 12:26:37 PM

So, what is the confusion here?

Satellite imagery gives locations and distances, aerial imagery is incorporated to give detailed view.

The confusion is that Rabinoz is under the impression that the limit of commercial satellite imagery resolution is on the order of 30m, so a house is visible, but with no details.

Commercial satellite imagery used for metropolitan images today is commonly available at 1-2 meter resolution, and frequently sub-meter resolution, making a reasonably detailed view of a house possible in Google Earth with just a satellite image.

Evidence?

Quote from: Curiouser and Curiouser

It is then supplemented with aerial imagery to give imagery like the example given.

I would think that with your propensity for finding and trusting information online, you would have no trouble verifying something as simple as the resolution of high-resolution satellite imagery, once you were given the names of some of the companies and satellites with that capability.

No need to get snarky.  I stand corrected but unlike some I'm not young enough to know everything.

No need to get snarky.  I stand corrected but unlike some I'm not young enough to know everything.

An admonition against snark from one of the most snippy, poor-tempered, intentionally nasty users on the site; and then followed by a jab.

How typically rabinoz.

Who is apparently old enough to believe everything.

Quote from: EvolvedMantisShrimp on July 27, 2019, 03:55:51 PM

How do you suppose Google Earth can show us any of our houses or nearly any place on Earth in such high definition without the aid of data from satellites? How long do you suppose it would take to so accurately map the surface of the Earth without the aid of satellites?

I don't like spoiling a good argument but detailed Google Earth images are from aerial photographs.

Quote

Google Earth, How images are collected
More about image types & their collection dates
Satellite & aerial images
The satellite and aerial images in Google Earth are taken by cameras on satellites and aircraft, which collect each image at a specific date and time.Those images can be used in Google Earth as a single image with the specific collection date, but sometimes:

• The images are combined into a mosaic of images taken over multiple days or months. These images are displayed as one seamless image and the date may change as you move your cursor around the map.
  
• There is limited information about the image collection and the date displayed reflects the start of a date range when the image was most likely collected.
  
• When the "3D Buildings" layer is turned on, the detailed terrain and buildings images are derived from aerial images collected over multiple dates, so Google Earth does not display a collection date.
  
• The collection date information is lost or inaccurate due to human error or other issues.

The source of the image will be shown when available.

I wonder how much is done by satellite and how much by airplane. The detail on even the most remote of communities is impressive.

Quote from: rabinoz on July 29, 2019, 05:15:41 PM

No need to get snarky.  I stand corrected but unlike some I'm not young enough to know everything.

An admonition against snark from one of the most snippy, poor-tempered, intentionally nasty users on the site; and then followed by a jab.

All I can say is that it takes one to know one!

Quote from: Curiouser and Curiouser on July 29, 2019, 06:05:08 PM

Quote from: rabinoz on July 29, 2019, 05:15:41 PM

No need to get snarky.  I stand corrected but unlike some I'm not young enough to know everything.

An admonition against snark from one of the most snippy, poor-tempered, intentionally nasty users on the site; and then followed by a jab.

All I can say is that it takes one to know one!

What a nonsensical idea. One has to be incompetent to recognize, know, and understand incompetence? One has to be abusive to recognize, know, and understand abuse? One has to be evil to recognize, know, and understand evil?

But, if "it takes one to know one" is something that you believe in and stand by, thank you for admitting that you are one of the most snippy, poor-tempered, intentionally nasty users on the site.

Rab, on the off chance that the image you've pasted is your own house, I've edited some of these messages.

Rab, on the off chance that the image you've pasted is your own house, I've edited some of these messages.

No, I was careful to make sure it was nowhere near our house.
It did have some connection but that's remote enough to be pretty meaningless.

Thanks for the thought.

Back to satellites though... when FErs say what hasn't been done or cant be done, and then Himawari 8 is mentioned... why the crickets?