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Google Maps goes off-world to explore Pluto, Venus, moons

More planets and a handful of Saturn's and Jupiter's moons get the Google Maps treatment.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
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Explore Venus and other objects in the solar system in Google Maps.

Google Maps/Screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

You have an important business meeting at Wawalag Planitia on Venus, but you've never been there. Before you launch your spacecraft, you pull it up on Google Maps to get your bearings. 

This might sound a little forward-thinking, but the future is now. Google just added three planets and nine moons to Google Maps

The heavenly bodies include Saturn moons Dione, Enceladus, Iapetus, Mimas, Rhea and Titan, and Jupiter moons Europa, Ganymede and Io. Google also added dwarf-planets Pluto and Ceres and full-planet Venus. Once inside Google Maps for planets, you can spin the space objects around, get more information on their place names and zoom in for a closer look. 

The new worlds are possible thanks to imagery from NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's dearly departed Cassini spacecraft sent back a treasure trove of views of Saturn's moons. 

If you have a few moments to spare, fire up a browser, go to your current location on Google Maps, enter satellite mode and hit the zoom-out button until you've left the planet and are "floating" in space. A list of available planets and moons pops up on the side and you're off on your space adventure. 

Google has dabbled in space exploration before with a Google Street View tour of the International Space Station. Mars, Mercury and the moon were already on Google Maps, but these new additions definitely expand your exploration options.

Tour every planet in our solar system through NASA images

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