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Tonga

Making desktop backgrounds with Google Earth

June 17, 2016

When browsing some of the latest imagery in the recent imagery update we came across some beautiful images of islands of the Tonga archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean and we thought of using them as desktop backgrounds. This is also how we found the image of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai for yesterday’s post.

The standard version of Google Earth only allows you to save or print images of what is seen on screen. Although it is possible to make Google Earth run full screen (F11) and can hide almost all the menus, it isn’t really satisfactory for capturing a full screen-resolution image. However, Google Earth Pro is free and allows you to save images up to a resolution of 4800 x 2866. Just go to File->Save->Save Image or look for the ‘Save Image’ button on the tool bar. It brings up a small tool bar where you can specify the resolution and other options. For a desktop background you probably want to turn off all the extras (title, legend, compass etc).

Note that this will not result in imagery of higher resolution than what can be seen in Google Earth.

Here are a few backgrounds we created for ourselves, but we highly recommend having a look at various tropical islands around the world to find your own favourite locations.


High resolution versions: 1920×1080, 3840×2160


High resolution versions: 1920×1080, 3840×2160


High resolution versions: 1920×1080, 3840×2160

If you love satellite imagery then we certainly recommend Google’s ‘Earth View’ Chrome extension. It also allows you to easily save any image you like as a desktop background (see the extensions menu at the top left). You can also get a similar extension by Planet Labs featuring their imagery.

Filed Under: Google Earth Tips Tagged With: backrounds, Tonga

Two become one, Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai

June 16, 2016

The recent Google Earth imagery update includes an image of a new island formed from Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai, part of the Tonga archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai used to be two islands with a submarine volcano between them. Then, in December 2014, the volcano started erupting and by mid-January 2015 a new island had formed with the volcano’s crater in the centre. See Wikipedia for more details.


Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha’apai in 2014, before the 2014/2015 eruption


The new island, May 2016

See ground level photos here.

Another example of islands that have joined together through volcanic eruption that can be seen in Google Earth imagery is Nishinoshima, Japan.



You can adjust the speed of the animation by dragging the slider.

Find the locations above in Google Earth with this KML file.

Filed Under: Sightseeing Tagged With: islands, nishinoshima, Tonga

Disappearing Tongan islet

October 10, 2014

We came across an interesting story about a Tongan islet disappearing. Read more about it here.

To see it in Google Earth, look about 5km North West of Nuku’alofa, Tonga, or fly straight to it with this KML file. Turn on historical imagery to see satellite images of it from 2002 to 2013.

Monaufe disappearing
The Tonga islet of Monaufe disappearing as seen in Google Earth historical imagery.

It is not the first Togan islet to disappear. Here is an article from 1913 printed in the Australian paper the Sunday Morning Herald which also mentions an islet in the Tonga group disappearing.

Frank (publisher of Google Earth Blog) visited Tonga in 2010 as part of his ongoing Tahina Expedition and took some nice photos of the coral which you can see on the Tahina Expedition blog here

Filed Under: Sightseeing Tagged With: historical imagery, Tonga



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