# Google Earth: What's going on here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 1, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550 "2005-09-01T04:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/1 "2005-09-01T04:25:45Z")
I did a search for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, DC (the White House), and found that all of the buildings in downtown Washington are rendered just as blocks instead of showing the actual buildings. I gather this is a national security precaution? Adam ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/2 "2005-09-01T04:35:23Z")
You got it. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/3 "2005-09-01T05:33:01Z")
Huh? My Google Earth renders the White House, The Capitol building and the Lincoln memorial. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/4 "2005-09-01T05:42:44Z")
I get a funny satellite view of the white house. It, the executive office building and the treasury department seem to have the images of the roofs painted with a uniform pixel color. The roofs don’t seem to have any features at all. The interior courtyards in the latter two buildings have large blocky pixels where the trees around the white house are shown in extremely fine detail. It’s pretty clear the satellite images were manipulated by hand. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/5 "2005-09-01T05:54:37Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > I get a funny satellite view of the white house. It, the executive office building and the treasury department seem to have the images of the roofs painted with a uniform pixel color. The roofs don’t seem to have any features at all. The interior courtyards in the latter two buildings have large blocky pixels where the trees around the white house are shown in extremely fine detail. It’s pretty clear the satellite images were manipulated by hand. I wouldn’t be suprised if some anti aircraft stuff was edited out or something. Agent Foxtrot, I think you have the 3D Building Layer on. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/6 "2005-09-01T06:03:03Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Agent Foxtrot, I think you have the 3D Building Layer on. Buh? The photos are not always taken with a satellite directly overhead so many objects appear to be slanted and show 3-D relief. It isn’t a featur than can be turned on and off. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/7 "2005-09-01T06:17:02Z")
No, there is a feature that renders 3D models of the buildings. Check the Layers menu near the bottom and check the 3D Buildings. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/8 "2005-09-01T06:26:04Z")
Ah, I must be looking at something different [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1600+pennsylvania+ave,+Washington+DC&spn=0.020592,0.034369&hl=en](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1600+pennsylvania+ave,+Washington+DC&spn=0.020592,0.034369&hl=en) Which doesn’t have that feature. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/9 "2005-09-01T06:33:43Z")
Oooh then you are missing out: [Google Earth](http://earth.google.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/10 "2005-09-02T16:36:09Z")
> [@treis](#): > > No, there is a feature that renders 3D models of the buildings. Check the Layers menu near the bottom and check the 3D Buildings. Ah-hah. Thank you. 😃 Adam ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/11 "2005-09-02T17:20:25Z")
> [@Agent Foxtrot](#): > > I did a search for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, DC (the White House), and found that all of the buildings in downtown Washington are rendered just as blocks instead of showing the actual buildings. I gather this is a national security precaution? It does that for all buildings. Look at downtown New Orleans and the Superdome is a Supercylinder. ---
**Author:** ![PigBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PigBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigBoy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-earth-whats-going-on-here/319550/12 "2005-09-02T17:28:23Z")
The 3D buildings are pretty primative… my favorite is the Gateway Slab in St. Louis. 😃