Terraserver Topographic

TerraServer topographic images can bring you up close and personal to image after breathtaking image.  It boasts a humongous database of aerial photography which can be used for nearly anything.  It can assist geographers, lost travelers, and simple spectators who enjoy getting to travel in cyberspace to anywhere in the U.S.  TerraServer-USA is a Microsoft Corporation project and is based on MS SQL Server 2000 technology.  Each day, TerraServer-USA boasts nearly 40,000 new users.  They are one of the 1,000 most viewed web sites on the globe and has earned numerous distinctions and awards for their accomplishments.

Once a multi-nation project, it now extends only to the United States.  When TerraServer first began ten years ago, it covered various locations outside the continent, such as France, the UK, and other European and Asian territitories.  But the images were being leased.  At the end of the contract, the leaser decided to start a new company, incidentally with the same name.  This resulted in TerraServer-USA becoming restricted to the country.  It has also caused endless headaches for those who don’t understand the split up and the existence of two TerraServer web sites.

The adventure is endless with TerraServer-USA.  You can visit Alcatraz or soar over the Astrodome in Texas.  See the illustrious Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.  Head down to the Daytona Speedway in Daytona, FL.  Stroll through Central Park in Manhattan (and you don’t even have to worry about being mugged).  From Devils Tower in Wyoming to the Golden Gate Bridge, and from the Pentagon to Yosemite, you can travel anywhere and everywhere with TerrraServer-USA.

To get started, go to TerraServer’s web site at http://terraserver-usa.com.  Next, select either an advanced search (for a specific location), famous places, or web services.  You can also select the “About” link to learn more about TerraServer.  The search lets you enter in street information, the name of the city, the state, and the zip code.  You can also search by latitude and longitude.

TerraServer (the original who pulled out its interests) also offers specialized imagery.  You can choose from diverse time periods and image qualities.  Like TerraServer-USA, Terraserver has both black & white and color aerial photos.  Along with American photos, they also have images of such things as the Tokyo Tower, the Pyramids at Giza, the London Eye, Vatican City, Westminster Abbey, the United Nations building, and more.

With TerraServer, you can order posters, prints, or subscribe with them (for larger pictures without the annoying watermarks).  Subscribers also get discounts on purchases.  For more details, visit http://www.terraserver.com.

Both TerraServer sites offer free downloads and even tutorials on the imagery.  Learn how to set custom features to print just the right image, or learn about the history of the technology.  It’s all up to you.