Geography 2.0: Virtual Globes

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Thursday, February 09, 2006

Mapping non-spherical worlds

I was speaking to Don Janelle at the Center for Spatially Integrated Social Science (CSISS) yesterday, and we began talking about mapping non-spherical worlds. It turns out that one of his colleagues--Philip J. Stooke---at the University of Western Ontario has done a great deal of work on the topic. Stooke's website, though most of the pages stem from 1999-2000, covers a number of related topics--particularly relevant for virtual globes enthusiasts now that software tools increasingly allow for coordinate system customization.

Stooke gives a link to a poster (760K jpg) that offers a brief explanation of the Cartographic Options for Non-Spherical Worlds.

One page has maps and the numerical models of numerous asteroids and moons, as well as, a map of the nucleus of Comet Halley.

Stooke's latest book on the subject is expected soon.