Links: KML Wrap-up, New Orrery, Zip Scribble, South China Sea

KML Wrap-up – Google writes up a nice summary of the progress made in the development of KML (the file format used by Google Earth. I particularly liked the links to a variety of useful KML documentation. For a basic overview of the KML format read: What is KML/KMZ?

New Orrery – James has released an update to his Orrery for Sky at his Barnabu blog. The Orrery shows the relative positions of the planets as they orbit the sun. When used with the time animation of the planets in Sky, you can understand their motions better. The updated version lets you choose three different modes: The original (which shows all the planets at once – not to scale), an inner-planets only version, and an outer planets only version. Try the orrery here . Great stuff!

Zip Scribble – James also has created an interesting Google Earth visualization showing connections between zip codes in each state of the US. The idea came from someone else, he just Google Earth-ified it. The first set shows a static display, and a day later he posted a time animation version which shows the scribble in sequence. Check them out here: Zip Scribble static , Zip Scribble time animated . It was also interesting to me to check out the more remote US zip codes in the Pacific (like Guam, Samoa, etc.).

South China Seas – Got a message from Christopher Paterson of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that they have released a new Google Earth collection which describes the South China Sea Project. This project is focused on reversing environmental degradation trends in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. The placemarks in the collection provide a lot of information. This looks like it may be destined for the Global Awareness layer in GE.