Amazing Google Maps Closeups

Posted on March 8, 2007

A Google Maps trick allows people to zoom-in on locations much more closely. The screenshot on the right shows a zoom-in on a camel. You can see that same location here on Google Maps and if you move the map around you will find more camels and people. Google Blogoscoped explains how the super zoom-in works.

1. Select a location and switch to satellite view
2. Zoom in as far as you can, and click "link to this page" at the top right
3. Now replace the "z" parameter in the URL with a higher value, e.g. 20, 22, or 23, and wait. Some locations will now show more detailed imagery
The trick doesn't work everywhere but people have already found close zoom-ins of people at the beach. These super satellite closeups make create privacy issues if they are over people's private homes.


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