Landsat TimeLapser

About

This open-source web application enables users to generate timelapses from Landsat 8 Satellite Imagery using the robust capabilities of Google Earth Engine. By entering latitude and longitude coordinates along with a custom date range, users can create animated visualizations of changes to Earth’s surface over time, exported as high-quality GIFs.

Authors

Developed by Joshua Stovall, Ryan Kemmer, Zharfa Nurrachma, and Dylan Edwards.

Features

Generate satellite timelapses for any specified location
Set custom start and end dates
Export timelapse as an animated GIF
Scrub through frames with an interactive slider

Use Cases

This technology has broad applications across a range of fields:

Environmental Monitoring – Track deforestation, wildfires, glacial retreat, and ecosystem changes
Urban Planning – Visualize city growth, infrastructure development, and land use changes
Agriculture – Monitor crop cycles, irrigation patterns, and seasonal land shifts
Climate Research – Observe long-term climate effects on landscapes
Education – Provide visual tools for teaching geography, earth science, and environmental change

Setup

This project is available for open-source use and modification. To run the application locally:

cd web
python -m SimpleHTTPServer

Then, open http://localhost:8000 in your web browser.