How do real time maps work?

Question

I know they work by satellite, but I have a 4 page paper due tomorrow and I can't find any websites wth information on them.

Answer 1

I don't know of any real-time maps.  Maps are static views of information.  Think of it like a regular map.  Someone had to gather a bunch of information, write it all down and print it out.  Electronic maps are much the same.  maps.google.com shows maps and satellite pictures of locations; however, those locations are not real-time as the satellite pictures are up to 3 years old (my house is still not on there).

Real-time military maps, or of an organization that can afford them, would use real-time information (pictures from an array of satellites and airplanes and other observation platforms) that would upload that imagery to the presentation layer of an application.  This wouldn't be so useful, since on most days, there's some part of the world or probably of your map with cloud cover... then really, a historic map would probably be better to use than a picture of the top of a nice cumulus cloud, regardless of how much it looked like a poodle or your Aunt Miffy's fruit cake.

So, real time maps:

1) Expensive to maintain = probably government / military use only

2) Not so useful with extensive cloud cover

3) Clouds often look like pirates and poodles.