Google Earth is a virtual globe application. This is a program that can be used to view the Earth's surface -- in both 2D and 3D. You can search by coordinates, addresses or just simply browse Earth. In addition to being able to see the surface of the Earth you can now experience global changes, space explorations and discover the ocean's secrets.
Google Earth has been with us since June of 2005 and on January 12, 2010 Google released version 5 of the popular service. This is a rather sophisticated application. Google Earth is a combination of software, satellite imagery, GIS 3D, data collected by NASA and aerial photography. Earth comes in three flavors -- Google Earth, Google Earth Pro and Google Earth Enterprise.
Google Earth is free and it's the standard application that many of us have used. If you have not used Earth simply downloaded it from the Google Earth homepage. Google Earth Pro is not free. This service will cost you $400 a year. This is what you get with Earth Pro:
Increase employee productivity, communicate visually, and share geographic information with Google Earth Pro. With the same easy-to-use features and imagery of Google Earth and additional capabilities designed specifically for business users, Google Earth Pro offers the most comprehensive geospatial database, including seamless cityscapes, high-resolution imagery, historical imagery, roads, and points of interest.
Google Earth Enterprise allows you build custom globes and maps. These custom builds will have private data that you can share with your company. For pricing on the Enterprise version you will need to contact Google sales.
So let's go and explore Mars through the eyes of Google Earth.