Google Gives Its Maps Service A 700 Trillion Pixel Makeover

(Photo : Getty Image/Adam Berry) Satellite map imagery found on Google Maps and Google Earth platforms has undergone a big makeover.

Satellite map imagery found on Google Maps and Google Earth platforms has undergone a big makeover - resulting in an additional 700 trillion pixels of data.

The search engine giant released the enriched satellite images to users on June 27th, 2016, writes Nature World News.

Google Earth has been working towards greater image clarity since releasing an online atlas three years ago that was devoid of clouds. The new version promises to eliminate more cloud cover, as well showcasing more distinctive views of Earth's geographical features.

The mapping service now utilizes images captured by a newer NASA satellite, Landsat 8, which has the ability to produce pictures that are crisper and clearer than what we have seen before.

Chris Herwig, Google Earth's Engine Program Manager declared that the new Google Earth features "fresh imagery from Landsat 8 satellite and new processing techniques for sharper images than ever before," on the Google Blog.

The extra details mean that subtleties in landscapes will be more apparent to users of the service - giving a clearer picture of changes that occur over time.

Landsat 8 was launched in 2013 and was fitted with the newest planetary observation sensors - giving the satellite more power to capture higher definition images than previous iterations of the satellite.

The satellite also has the ability to generate images at a faster rate. Landsat is able to capture double the daily rate of pictures compared to Landsat 7.

The new release allows any user to access Google Maps or Google Earth to examine the enhanced satellite imagery.

The Google team analyzed data from over 700 trillion individual pixels to ensure that the best cloud-free pixels were used, according to the blog post. The clearest pixels were then stitched together into a seamless mosaic.

Google Earth launched its service about a decade ago, giving people a chance to see how earth looks from space.