Software that meets specific technical needs in manipuation of projection and display

[RobA]

Hmm. Will anything permit me to work on this in the way I was describing? I don't really know what the different programs will do. I have GIMP but really don't know how to use it - basically I've just resized pictures with it - I know nothing at all about graphic software. I'm simply trying to find something which will let me perceive the mapping data (image) in different ways and edit it in them. i.e. - both globes (the one RobA did in GIMP and yours) only show a portion - what would let me move the globe around (as if I were in Worldwind or GoogleEarth)? I don't understand your last recommendation - the equirectangular projections are extremely distorted around the edges - I don't see how I could work in them if I were doing anything to the coastlines beyond about the 45th parallels. After doing some referencing those coastlines may not be as bad as I first thought seeing the globe (but I need to see them completely in that form) - the planet's axial tilt is less than Earth creating ant/arctic circles at about 73.5 degrees and tropics at about 16.5 rather than 66.6 and 23.4 - those are the red lines - not specifically calculated - placed on the polar projections as eyeball approximates of where I want them.

HF, PW,
AOK

I'm not sure if I know what you want.... do you want to edit on a sphere? Even the ones you mention (like googleearth) assume a 1:1 pixel to degree lat/long ratio. in source images you map on them.

Most of the software will take an equirectangular projection (2:1) and plot it on a sphere, but as you noted, there is a lot of distortion at the poles.

The programs previously identified (flexprojector, and something else) also start with 2:1 images.

The problem is that anytime you convert raster images (pixel based) between coordinate system you will get serious distortion...and I am not sure there is any vector software that will work in multiple projections.

Attached is the equirectangular projection pulled into googleearth format. Just open the zip, extract the kmz file and open it in googleearth. That works for viewing, but I don't see how you could "zoom in an edit" and then bring it back...

-Rob A>