Websites, especially those rich with unique features like Historic Aerials, can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming at first glance. If you’re new to online mapping platforms, understanding how to utilize all the tools and functionalities might not be immediately clear. This guide is designed to shorten that learning curve, providing you with a step-by-step walkthrough of common tasks on Historic Aerials. We encourage you to explore along with us – move your mouse, click around, and discover the wealth of historical imagery available. Don’t worry; you can’t break anything!
Think of this as your interactive companion. Keep it open as you experiment with our suggestions. Feel free to drag and reposition this guide by clicking and dragging the title bar to wherever it best suits your screen layout.
Let’s dive in and unlock the power of Netr Online exploration with Historic Aerials!
Getting Started: Navigation Essentials
When you first land on Historic Aerials, the map view defaults to a specific location. If you’ve allowed location access, it will likely center on your current location or your internet provider’s location. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in Tempe, Arizona, home to our headquarters.
To explore different areas, you’ll need to navigate the map. The simplest way to pan is by clicking and holding down your left mouse button (or the single button if you’re using a Mac). While holding the button, move your mouse in the direction you want the map to move. Try it now – pan around and get comfortable moving across the digital landscape.
While panning is effective for local adjustments, traversing greater distances requires a quicker method. Look to the upper left corner of the viewer for the text box labeled ‘geo coordinates or street address‘. Click in this box and type in a location – for example, London, England. Then, either click the ‘go‘ button to the right or press the [Enter] key. The map will instantly recenter to display London.
This search box is incredibly versatile. It accepts street addresses, city names, landmarks – virtually any location identifier. Test it out by searching for Eiffel Tower and see where it takes you.
Zooming In and Out for Detail
Located on the upper left side of the viewer interface are the zoom controls, clearly marked with a plus (+) and minus (–) sign. To magnify your view and zoom in for finer details, click the plus (+) button. To zoom out and get a broader perspective, click the minus (-) button. Experiment with the zoom controls to adjust your view and examine areas of interest at different scales.
Unveiling Historic Aerial Imagery
While maps are excellent for orientation, your primary interest here is likely viewing historic aerial photos, right? This is where the true power of netr online historical exploration comes alive.
To switch from the map view to aerial imagery, you need to select a specific year of aerial coverage. Click on the aerials button situated in the top left of the viewer. A dropdown list of years will appear to the right. These years represent the available aerial photography for the current map center location. Choose a year by simply clicking on it. The selected year will now be displayed beneath the aerials button, and within moments, the aerial imagery from that year will replace the map view.
To explore imagery from a different year, just click the aerials button again and select another year from the list. Remember that you can pan and zoom within the aerial imagery just as you did with the map, allowing for detailed examination of historical landscapes.
Exploring Topographic Maps
Guess what? You’re already a pro at viewing topographic maps! The process is identical to selecting aerial imagery. Simply click on the topos button and choose the year of topographic map you wish to view from the dropdown list. This allows you to examine the terrain and elevation changes of an area alongside or instead of aerial photos.
Delving into Historical Atlases
Similar to the aerials and topos selectors, the atlases button unlocks access to additional historical representations of your chosen area. We’ve incorporated geo-referenced, digitized versions of historical maps and property boundary documents. You can also use this menu to revert back to the standard map layer if desired. While our atlas collection is continually growing, and currently more limited, it offers valuable historical context.
Comparing Layers Through Time
You might have noticed that only one layer (aerial, topo, or atlas) can be displayed at a time. To enable powerful comparative analysis between different years or layer types, utilize the compare tools. Activate these by clicking the compare button.
Four icons will appear, offering different comparison methods:
- X – Turn compare off
- Circle icon – View a specific area in a circle
- Side-by-side icon – Compare two layers side by side
- Slider icon – Set transparency between layers
Let’s try the side-by-side comparison. Click the compare button followed by the side-by-side option. A second set of selectors will appear on the right side of the screen, mirroring the left. When using compare tools, think in terms of left side and right side layers.
The map is the default layer for both sides. Now, on the right side, select an aerial year that’s different from the year (or map) displayed on the left. A slider bar will appear at the top of the viewing area. Drag this slider to move the dividing line between the two layers, revealing the historical changes across your chosen location in a visually compelling way.
To deactivate the compare tool, click the compare button again and then click the X icon. The right-side layer and its associated selectors will disappear, returning you to a single-layer view.
Adding Informative Overlays
Aerial photography, while rich in visual data, often lacks labels. Identifying counties, cities, or even major roads can sometimes be challenging. To address this, we provide overlays that add crucial context. Click the overlay button to access options for viewing major roads, all roads, counties, and cities. Select the overlays you need to enhance your understanding of the geography. To remove overlays, click the X icon at the top of the overlay tools.
Measuring Distances and Areas
Sometimes, visual scale alone isn’t enough. The measure tool allows you to accurately measure distances between points and even calculate the area of polygons directly on the map.
Click the measure button on the left toolbar. A flyout dialog will appear in the lower left of the viewer. Click the icon to the left of Create a new measurement. Instructions will prompt you to add points on the layer by clicking. Once you’ve finished adding points to define your line or polygon, click the finish option. Another dialog will appear, displaying your measurement results. You can leave the measurement object on the screen for reference or remove it by clicking the delete option in the results dialog.
Like the other buttons in the left toolbar, clicking the measure button toggles the measurement dialog on and off.
Ordering Digital Imagery and Prints
Exploring historical imagery online is fascinating, but what if you need a clean, watermark-free copy of a specific area? You can purchase imagery as digital files (JPEG, PNG, or GeoTIFF) or order physical printouts of your selected area.
Look for the text at the top of the viewer area that reads, ‘purchase image and/or print‘. An arrow points to a button to the left of this text. If you have a layer other than ‘map’ selected, click this button (the one with the square icon) to define your purchase area within the visible map extent.
After clicking the purchase selection button, the central area of the viewer will remain lighter, while the surrounding area darkens. This lighter area represents your selection for purchase. To resize the selected square, click and drag one of the four corner handles – the small white squares.
Once you’ve positioned the viewer and sized your desired area, click the ‘Purchase Selection‘ button that now appears at the top of the viewer. If you are a registered user, your selection will be added to your shopping cart, where you can choose your purchase options and finalize your order.
Did you encounter a ‘Guest Order‘ page? This means you’re not currently logged in as a registered user. No problem! We’ll save your selection and guide you to the registration page. Registration is quick, easy, and free!
What’s Next in Your Netr Online Journey?
Hopefully, you now feel confident and capable of navigating Historic Aerials like a pro, effortlessly exploring historical imagery from coast to coast. As you continue to use Historic Aerials, we trust your confidence will grow even further. Our best advice is to simply experiment and try things out. You’ve likely already discovered that hovering your mouse over action buttons reveals helpful hints. You might also find that using a mouse wheel is a convenient way to adjust zoom levels. These tips, along with many others, will become apparent as you continue to explore our platform. When in doubt, click and see what happens – you’re on your way to becoming a netr online historical imagery expert!
