Earth3D
| Company type | Open-source software project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, Geospatial visualization |
| Founder | Dominique Andre Gunia |
| Headquarters | Braunschweig , Germany |
| Products | Virtual Earth visualization software, Earth3dlib C++ library |
Earth3D originated as the diploma project of Dominique Andre Gunia at Braunschweig University of Technology, designed to present a virtual representation of the Earth. Developed prior to Google's acquisition of Keyhole, Inc—which later evolved into Google Earth—Earth3D delivers satellite images and elevation data dynamically from servers during user interaction. This information is structured using a Quadtree system and is obtained from sources such as NASA, USGS, the CIA, and the municipality of Osnabrück.
One of Earth3D's notable capabilities is its near real-time visualization of weather patterns, including Low-pressure areas and anticyclones.
The initial implementation utilized Trolltech's QT framework. Subsequently, a Java variant employing JOGL was developed but experienced limited adoption, likely due to competition from NASA’s open-source Java-based WorldWind. In response, a more compact C++ library named Earth3dlib was introduced, focusing on core earth visualization features and customizable overlays.
These software projects are accessible via SourceForge through CVS repositories for C++ and Subversion for the Java version.
See also
- Marble, an open-source virtual globe featuring Earth, Moon, Venus, Mars, and additional planets.
- World Wind, an open-source virtual Earth globe developed by NASA.
- OpenStreetMap, a collaborative project offering freely editable maps.
- Comparison of web map services
- Neogeography