# What is this thing on google earth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176 "2009-12-06T05:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/1 "2009-12-06T05:58:46Z")
If you go to “36 Paulson Road, Farmington, NH 03835” there is a several-acre white area. What is that likely to be? ---
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/2 "2009-12-06T06:10:03Z")
Image here: [http://maps.google.com/maps?q=36+Paulson+Road,+Farmington,+NH+03835&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=36+Paulson+St,+Farmington,+NH+03835&gl=us&ei=FkobS\_-2J5CYtgeT99CkCg&sa=X&oi=geocode\_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ8gEwAA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=36+Paulson+Road,+Farmington,+NH+03835&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=36+Paulson+St,+Farmington,+NH+03835&gl=us&ei=FkobS_-2J5CYtgeT99CkCg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ8gEwAA) It appears to be an iced over lake or pond. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/3 "2009-12-06T06:10:07Z")
Do you have the newest version of Google Earth? If so, go up top to the icon that has a clock on it and move the slider back to see some earlier images-- in earlier pictures it’s just a field. As for what it is, I’d think it’s just some artifact of the aerial photography-- for some reason everything in that little corner that’s supposed to be brown is white. Could it be snow? Maybe just some killer glare? EDIT: Actually you have to look at a more recent picture to see that it’s a field (you can tell it’s more recent because they clearcut across the street). I don’t know why GE comes up with the earlier image by default-- maybe it’s higher res. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/4 "2009-12-06T06:38:39Z")
I didn’t have the newest version of GE. Neat feature. It’s still kind of an odd field, though–perhaps just plowed when the photos were taken? The white is strange. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/5 "2009-12-06T15:13:35Z")
It’s just an overexposed image. Take a look at street view on Rt 153. ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/6 "2009-12-07T16:38:31Z")
It’s snow. - just not too thick so its only visible on the roads and cut fields. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/7 "2009-12-07T16:52:07Z")
There is a better view on the [Bing](http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9eXAuMzYrUGF1bHNvbitSb2FkJTJjK0Zhcm1pbmd0b24lMmMrTkgrMDM4MzUlN2Vzc3QuMCU3ZXBnLjEmYmI9NjQuMTI3Mzg1MjUxNzQ5MiU3ZS00Ni42NTU0MDMxMzclN2U5LjI3MDE5NzQ4MDgxMzY5JTdlLTk1LjUyMjU5MDYzNw==) maps (formerly, and still responding to [http://maps.live.com](http://maps.live.com)) Just a big open sandy area. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-on-google-earth/520176/8 "2009-12-07T18:20:25Z")
I thought it might have been like [these white patches near my house](http://maps.google.com/?q=garland,+tx&ie=UTF8&ll=32.969162,-96.655236&spn=0.003267,0.005053&t=h&z=18). Those really are white, being Austin Chalk. I ride my bike through them.