Google shows view from mountains via Street View cameras
updated 09:46 am EDT, Tue March 19, 2013
Four mountains shown in Google Maps service
Google has updated Street View to include a number of locations found on mountains. Areas of Aconcagua in South America, Mount Elbrus in Europe, Kilimanjaro in Africa, and Everest Base Camp in Asia have been included, allowing visitors of the Google Maps service to explore four of the peaks from the group known as the Seven Summits.
In order to take the images for these remote locations, the Google team used a digital camera with a fish eye lens and a lightweight tripod, according to a company blog post, instead of the normal Google car associated with Street View. While the system, typically reserved for its Business Photos service, did not employ autonomous cameras attached to a backpack in a similar way to how the Grand Canyon was recorded a few months ago, it did allow for the teams to carry as little weight as possible in order to reach the locations.
Previously, Google has used Street View to give tours of one of its data centers, the Kennedy Space Center, the Swiss Alps, and important historical landmarks in Antarctica.
