Image via Google
On Tuesday, Google introduced 360 degree panoramic views of Antarctica as part of their World Wonders project, which was introduced earlier this year. Some imagery of Antarctica has been available on Google Streetview since September 2010, but today’s development adds views of historical exploration spots like the South Pole Telescope and Shackleton’s Hut among other destinations popular among explorers.
Google partnered with the Polar Geospatial Center at the University of Minnesota and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust to make these panoramic images available. They used a lightweight tripod camera with a fisheye lens to capture the images, a technology that they said they chose “because of its portability, reliability and ease-of-use” based on the terrain they were dealing with.
Google’s aim with this and other World Wonders projects is to allow history buffs and travel enthusiasts to enjoy this sort of cultural experience from the comfort of their own home.
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