Zitat

The Tatras are the highest range of the Carpathian Mountains. They represent a natural border between Poland and Slovakia. The Tatras cover an area of roughly 750 km2, with 150 km2 within the borders of Poland and 600 km2 in the territory of Slovakia. The highest mountain in the Tatras is Gerlach in Slovakia (2655m above sea level), whereas the highest Polish mountain is Rysy (2499m above sea level).

A photographic TATRA PHOTO SCENERY for Microsoft Flight Simulator X / 2004 shows the beauty of the Tatras together with their surroundings. This is one of the most beautiful and best known regions of the world which occupies a special place in the history and culture of people living in the central part of Europe. For nearly 400 years the Tatras, with their unique character, have been attracting, inspiring and enrapturing subsequent generations of researchers, writers, artists, tourists and mountaineers.

The TATRA PHOTO SCENERY is based on images of increased definition taken from SPOT5 satellite put into orbit in 2002. The cloudless images covering almost the whole region were successfully collected on September 21, 2003. Other types of data were also used in the scenery (within a limited scope): fragments of Millennium Map of Poland™ based on images from Landsat TM and IRS-1C/D satellites with a field definition of 6m, archival images from SPOT4 satellite with a definition of 10m and images from Landsat TM satellite with a definition of 30m (surroundings of the Poprad). One of the most important phases of the Tatra scenery project was the photogrammetric processing of images, that is its geometric transformation to cartographic projection and coordinate system used by Microsoft Flight Simulator. First, well recognizable control points were identified on the satellite image and on a topographic map having a known projection. Then, a process called orthorectification based on a detailed digital elevation model of the area was performed to eliminate geometric distortions caused by highly diversified relief of the area. Most of the work related to geometric and radiometric satellite image processing has been done with the ERDAS Imagine geoinformation system by GEOSYSTEMS Polska Ltd.

The authors of TATRA PHOTO SCENERY hope that this SIMDESIGN product will serve as an interesting complement of maps and atlases of the unusual region of the Tatras. Because of its illuminating, educational and aesthetic qualities, the scenery may constitute yet another means of broadening our perception of the world thanks to sensational tools supplied by Microsoft Flight Simulator and the latest satellite images.

Note that the TATRA PHOTO SCENERY is greatly enhanced new version of the former "Project Tatry" by BartGraF. Bartek Chyc joined the Simdesign team as the author of the most detailed Tatras mesh ever!