Mapping,+virtual+globes

__**What is GIS?**__ "A geographical information system is a system that captures, stores, analyzes, manages and presents data with reference to geographic location data." - Wikipedia In other words GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.

__**What is GPS?**__ ­When people talk about a GPS, they usually mean a GPS receiver. The Global Positioning System (GPS) is actually a constellation of 27 Earth-orbiting satellites (24 in operation and three extras in case one fails). The U.S. military developed and implemented this satellite network as a military navigation system, but soon opened it up to everybody else.