Following the Equator

Our photos in Schmap Paris Guide

A pair of our Paris pictures are picking up a bit of publicity.

Schmap Paris Guide has just selected our photo of Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre and our photo of the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles for inclusion in its sixth edition.

Schmap publishes digital travel guides for more than 200 destinations around the world and integrates maps, photos and place reviews for easy viewing online or on an iPhone. The site has generated a lot of positive press since launching nearly three years ago.

We're excited to be included in the revised Schmap Paris Guide. You can see more of Following the Equator's Paris photos on Flickr.

World Heritage map update

The World Heritage Centre concluded its annual map outreach campaign after fulfilling 9,000 requests in nine weeks.

The World Heritage map, which locates all 851 World Heritage properties, is still available to be downloaded, along with the past four World Heritage Maps.

World Sunlight Map

Sometimes, I imagine the sun as a giant spotlight shining on different parts of the Earth throughout the day. And that's exactly what I thought of when my father-in-law showed me the World Sunlight Map this weekend.

This computer-generated illustration shows the sun rising and setting all over the world in real time. The site allows you to view various map projections, as well. The image above (from about 11 a.m. EDT today) is the traditional Mercator projection, but you can also see the Peters, Mollweide and equirectangular projection maps. Each has its own advantages, and it's interesting to see the differences.

Free World Heritage map

Want a free educational world map? Check out the 2007-08 World Heritage map, which is now available at the UNESCO World Heritage website.

The map, which was produced in collaboration with National Geographic and Hewlett Packard, locates 851 World Heritage properties and includes information about the World Heritage Centre and photos and info about some of the sites.

The map can be downloaded here, or you can order a free copy by registering with the World Heritage Centre (although a donation to the World Heritage Fund would be nice).