Capture Coordinates in Google Earth

Capturing accurate coordinates with Google Earth is now easy. Read the instructions below for capturing point and polygon coordinates and for using the Google Earth Measure tool.
When you use Google Earth to capture point coordinates for digitizing biodiversity records, GBIF recommends that you include a statement concerning the method used to obtain these coordinates. Internationally recognized schemas, such as ABCD and Darwin Core, contain elements to specify the origin or uncertainty of the coordinates. Therefore the following statement is recommended: Coordinates were captured from data provided by Digital Globe using Google Earth - and include the current date. This will allow other users to replicate the location or polygon in Google Earth.

1. Capture Point Coordinates

Capture point coordinates with Google Earth by downloading this Google Earth file.

• Place the center of the Google Earth Viewport approximately at the location where you want to capture coordinates.
• Put a checkmark into the checkbox beside the downloaded folder entitled *Capture Point coordinates*.
• An inner centering icon (yellow) and outer grey icon appear at that location.
• Drag the viewport background until the centering icon is directly over the point of interest.
• Once the outer icon refreshes at the same location click on the icons and copy and paste the coordinates from the popup box into another program.

2. Create Polygons and Capture Coordinates for Polygons

Work with polygons in Google Earth by downloading this Google Earth file.

• Capture coordinates around the perimeter of polygons such as buildings, fields, ponds, etc. Place the center of the Google Earth Viewport close to the location where you want to capture the coordinates.
• Put a checkmark into the checkbox beside the downloaded folder entitled Capture Polygon coordinates from Google Earth.
• A centering icon (yellow) appears at that location.
• Click on the downloaded folder Capture Polygon coordinates from Google Earth and follow the complete instruction contained on the popup box.
• The polygons that you capture are rendered as three-dimensional objects in Google Earth for display and for saving.
• The Measure tool (described next) can be first used in Path mode to transcribe the perimeter of the polygon. This renders a visible path with a series of dots on Google Earth that can be used as a guide for the centering (yellow) icon.

3. Google Earth Measure Tool

Many biological collections have localities similar to "10.5 km east of Route 95 on County Road 10 beside bridge over Dusty Creek." Google Earth provides a Measure tool that helps to find precise locations based on such descriptions. In the Google Earth client menu go to:

• Tools and choose Measure.
• Choose either the Line or Path tab. A path is measured as a series of short lines.
• Choose a unit of measurement from the picklist which includes: kilometers, miles and even smoots.
• Use the Capture Point Coordinate file described above to capture the point coordinate at the end of the line or path.
• Use Google Earth Help for more information on using the Measure tool.

NOTE:
To get the best accuracy make sure that Google Earth is zoomed close to the surface and Google Earth is oriented straight down and not at an angle.

These scripts have been contributed by Derek Munro of the Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (CBIF) to GBIF beginning on 2005-09-28. More...