Super-zoomed Google maps

You’ve probably already seen the satellite images that are available on Google Maps. Maybe you’ve even looked at an aerial photograph of your house.

But did you know that you can use a trick to get a super-close look at some locations? Here’s how:

1. Go to http://maps.google.com and search for an interesting location. Perhaps New York City or Las Vegas.
2. Make sure you click on “satellite” to see the aerial images, and then use the slider to zoom as close as you can.
3. Click on the “Link to this Page” link and a really long URL will show up in the address bar.
4. Look for “&z=” in the URL. It should be followed by a number, like 18 or 19.
5. Switch the number to 20, 21, 22 or 23 and press Enter. If a secret close-up image is available, you’ll see it.

This works best for big cities. Here are some locations you might want to check out:

• Various spots in Africa
• The Empire State Building in New York
• Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas
• Tower of London in England

Have fun!