Beautiful visualization of wind currents on Earth (opens in new tab)

(earth.nullschool.net)

115 pointsebahnx12y ago34 comments

34 comments

33 comments · 19 top-level

tibbon12y ago· 5 in thread

This looks great. I just wish it didn't have to completely refresh when you turn the earth. Maybe in V2 :)

Hi. I'm the creator of the site. Unfortunately, each time the globe orientation changes, the distortion caused by the projection needs to be recalculated. Tried to think of ways to make this faster or save computations, but haven't found any good solutions yet.

onion2k12y ago

From a usability aspect at least, you could keep the same distortion until the interaction ends, and then tween the distortion values to the new orientation over a second or two. Technically it'd be 'wrong' for a short time, but it'd be nicer to use.

Awesome work regardless though.

keithpeter12y ago

Excellent stuff.

Not sure if it is feasible but a slider control for height would show the transition from high altitude (circulation currents) through to surface conditions really nicely. Hard to cache the animation I imagine.

deletes12y ago

Does the data update after a while, or do I have to refresh the page manually?

worldsayshi12y ago

Any demoscene people in the thread?

cs02rm012y ago· 4 in thread

Amazing. I've been tracking a delivery (Seiki 4k monitor incidentally) which I believe is currently on this flight: http://www.flightradar24.com/ABX2040

It always looks as though the course they take is unnecessarily far north. I have to consciously remind myself that the map projection and the prevailing winds play a factor. This really does beautifully illustrate why they take the route they do.

mxfh12y ago

This is not far north because of winds, it's just the shortest line!

Great circle distance (Curves in Mercator, straight lines on globe) vs. Rhumb lines (Straight in Mercator, constant course angle against meridians)

http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ComparingLoxodromesAndGrea...

[edit] added picture for explanation

http://i.imgur.com/wJS0ry1.png

Lines of same color have identical course

cs02rm012y ago

Sort of, journeys in the other direction are pushed even further north (or, actually north of the straight line) though which I believe is because of the winds. - i.e. it's a factor, isn't it?

1 more reply

kzrdude12y ago

The map projection on google maps is only chosen to produce good maps at every point by themselves (square city blocks will still be square, wherever you zoom in). I assume they would have chosen a different design (a globe) if they designed it to be used as a world map service.

jofer12y ago

No, it's chosen because it preserves direction. They use a single Mercator projection centered at the equator.

It's a pragmatic choice, but it's certainly not chosen to produce good local maps. It produces bad local maps everywhere except the equator.

If they wanted to produce "good maps at every point by themselves", they'd use a different projection every time you recenter the map.

It's a terrible projection at every point not on the equator. However, it does preserve direction, so straight N-S or E-W streets will appear perfectly straight.

However, square city blocks _do not_ appear square. You just don't notice the distortion unless you're quite far north or south.

dewey12y ago· 2 in thread

This is awesome. Is there a better way to zoom out than to click on "Earth" and choose another projection to reset the zoom level?

Edit: Wasn't working before, Chrome restart fixed it. My bad.

delinka12y ago

Try mouse scroll.

eevilspock12y ago

on my mac the scroll gesture works for zoom in and out.

deletes12y ago· 1 in thread

Don't forget to click on the bottom-left button and check the different options.

Example of a high altitude with temperature:

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/10hPa/ove...

And many different projections, Stereographic is awesome:

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/over...

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/o...

Please someone make this as an app for a desktop background!

-----

I found this option for total cloud water[0] and the checked the weather in France[1]. Pretty useful.

[0]:http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/o...

[1]:http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/France.htm

ebahnxOP12y ago

Desktop background would be amazing.

kfk12y ago· 1 in thread

Some days ago I posted this: http://scalgo.com/live/global

It's modelling all the water flow levels in the world using very detailed GPS data. I mean, you can model a sea raise or a river level raise.

I didn't even get 1 point. OK, design isn't as cool as this wind one, but I think it deserved a bit more love since they process a crap ton of terrain data for the water flow modelling...

ubershmekel12y ago

It's hard to give credit for something indiscernible.

mrfusion12y ago· 1 in thread

Do ocean currents follow these same lines?

kaivi12y ago

Take the Antarctic Circumpolar Current or the Gulf Stream: looks like the wind defines ocean currents.

nkuttler12y ago

Beautiful. Reminds me of how I used to run xplanet as live desktop with bump and cloud maps (updated every few hours), accurate stellar background, etc. I wonder if there's something similar, more modern, with more possible data feeds.

act912y ago

Previous Discussion:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6924854

benjoffe12y ago

This is a very similar style to parts of this incredible visualisation of Earth weather http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COWE6sMzdqI

T-zex12y ago

Well done! Interestingly there is a tornado like structure in the Crimean area.

mxfh12y ago

other than that this beautiful web-app gets constantly updated with new data like

Relative Humidity [%], Air Density [kg/m3], and Wind Power Density [kW/m2]

https://twitter.com/cambecc/status/438674275285757952

here is the obligatory link to the old discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6924854

danmaz7412y ago

This REALLY blew my mind. The the "Earth" menu at the bottom left - you can see sea currents, temperature map, winds at different heights... terrific.

sivetic12y ago

GitHub sources: https://github.com/cambecc/earth

boyaka12y ago

Noticed this tool on suspicious0bservers youtube channel a while back. He uses several tools daily to monitor earth and solar weather:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Suspicious0bservers

snake_plissken12y ago

This is amazing! What is being used for geocoding IP addresses? It's one of the more accurate returns I have come across in quite some time.

Also, how live is this data? If the data is live enough, this could be immensely useful for small-craft off-shore fishing.

All around, superb work!

eegilbert12y ago

This is lovely, but I believe it's a copy of an earlier visualization by Viégas and Wattenberg: http://hint.fm/wind

Link-12y ago

Aesthetics aside, how accurate is this?

g3orge12y ago

wait. is this live? anything similar for clouds?

cambecc12y ago

what the hell? why was this post deleted?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

34 comments

33 comments · 19 top-level

tibbon12y ago· 5 in thread

This looks great. I just wish it didn't have to completely refresh when you turn the earth. Maybe in V2 :)

cambecc12y ago

onion2k12y ago

Awesome work regardless though.

keithpeter12y ago

Excellent stuff.

deletes12y ago

Does the data update after a while, or do I have to refresh the page manually?

worldsayshi12y ago

Any demoscene people in the thread?

cs02rm012y ago· 4 in thread

Amazing. I've been tracking a delivery (Seiki 4k monitor incidentally) which I believe is currently on this flight: http://www.flightradar24.com/ABX2040

mxfh12y ago

This is not far north because of winds, it's just the shortest line!

Great circle distance (Curves in Mercator, straight lines on globe) vs. Rhumb lines (Straight in Mercator, constant course angle against meridians)

http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/ComparingLoxodromesAndGrea...

[edit] added picture for explanation

http://i.imgur.com/wJS0ry1.png

Lines of same color have identical course

cs02rm012y ago

Sort of, journeys in the other direction are pushed even further north (or, actually north of the straight line) though which I believe is because of the winds. - i.e. it's a factor, isn't it?

1 more reply

kzrdude12y ago

jofer12y ago

No, it's chosen because it preserves direction. They use a single Mercator projection centered at the equator.

It's a pragmatic choice, but it's certainly not chosen to produce good local maps. It produces bad local maps everywhere except the equator.

If they wanted to produce "good maps at every point by themselves", they'd use a different projection every time you recenter the map.

It's a terrible projection at every point not on the equator. However, it does preserve direction, so straight N-S or E-W streets will appear perfectly straight.

However, square city blocks _do not_ appear square. You just don't notice the distortion unless you're quite far north or south.

dewey12y ago· 2 in thread

This is awesome. Is there a better way to zoom out than to click on "Earth" and choose another projection to reset the zoom level?

Edit: Wasn't working before, Chrome restart fixed it. My bad.

delinka12y ago

Try mouse scroll.

eevilspock12y ago

on my mac the scroll gesture works for zoom in and out.

deletes12y ago· 1 in thread

Don't forget to click on the bottom-left button and check the different options.

Example of a high altitude with temperature:

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/10hPa/ove...

And many different projections, Stereographic is awesome:

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/over...

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/o...

Please someone make this as an app for a desktop background!

-----

I found this option for total cloud water[0] and the checked the weather in France[1]. Pretty useful.

[0]:http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/o...

[1]:http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/France.htm

ebahnxOP12y ago

Desktop background would be amazing.

kfk12y ago· 1 in thread

Some days ago I posted this: http://scalgo.com/live/global

It's modelling all the water flow levels in the world using very detailed GPS data. I mean, you can model a sea raise or a river level raise.

I didn't even get 1 point. OK, design isn't as cool as this wind one, but I think it deserved a bit more love since they process a crap ton of terrain data for the water flow modelling...

ubershmekel12y ago

It's hard to give credit for something indiscernible.

mrfusion12y ago· 1 in thread

Do ocean currents follow these same lines?

kaivi12y ago

Take the Antarctic Circumpolar Current or the Gulf Stream: looks like the wind defines ocean currents.

nkuttler12y ago

act912y ago

Previous Discussion:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6924854

benjoffe12y ago

This is a very similar style to parts of this incredible visualisation of Earth weather http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COWE6sMzdqI

T-zex12y ago

Well done! Interestingly there is a tornado like structure in the Crimean area.

mxfh12y ago

other than that this beautiful web-app gets constantly updated with new data like

Relative Humidity [%], Air Density [kg/m3], and Wind Power Density [kW/m2]

https://twitter.com/cambecc/status/438674275285757952

here is the obligatory link to the old discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6924854

danmaz7412y ago

This REALLY blew my mind. The the "Earth" menu at the bottom left - you can see sea currents, temperature map, winds at different heights... terrific.

sivetic12y ago

GitHub sources: https://github.com/cambecc/earth

boyaka12y ago

Noticed this tool on suspicious0bservers youtube channel a while back. He uses several tools daily to monitor earth and solar weather:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Suspicious0bservers

snake_plissken12y ago

This is amazing! What is being used for geocoding IP addresses? It's one of the more accurate returns I have come across in quite some time.

Also, how live is this data? If the data is live enough, this could be immensely useful for small-craft off-shore fishing.

All around, superb work!

eegilbert12y ago

This is lovely, but I believe it's a copy of an earlier visualization by Viégas and Wattenberg: http://hint.fm/wind

Link-12y ago

Aesthetics aside, how accurate is this?

g3orge12y ago

wait. is this live? anything similar for clouds?

cambecc12y ago

what the hell? why was this post deleted?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse