If you like this OpenStreetMap Overlay, you'll love Globe Glider.

Try it here!

Here's a network link for Google Earth which uses OpenStreetMap to give you a transparent map overlay for the area you are viewing in Google Earth.

When I was entering placemarks for my 2005 holiday in Japan I noticed that Google Earth resolution (outside Tokyo) was fairly limited but Google Maps showed all of Japan with excellent detail. This prompted my attempt at integrating those two services by putting a transparent Google Map over the Google Earth view. Generating the links to Google Maps was fairly straightforward, but getting the alignment right was quite a challenge.

After several updates it's no longer possible to pull map tiles from Google's servers so easily, that's why I've changed the map overlay to use OpenStreetMap.

Click here to open theOpenStreetMap overlay in your Google Earth software. In the "Temporary Places" section you will find the OpenStreetMap Overlay network link and you can move it to "My Places" to keep it.

When you change your Google Earth view a new map overlay should appear after 2 seconds. The map overlay sits in the OpenStreetMap folder within the network link.

You can edit the OpenStreetMap Overlay network link and modify the parameters in the Location url:

ZMIN=... The minimum zoom factor (0: most detailed, 17: least detailed)

ZMAX=... The maximum zoom factor

TRANS=.. The transparency of the layer (00: invisible, ff: opaque)

Example:

...mapover.php?ZMIN=0&ZMAX=17&TRANS=80

This service is a private experiment which can be terminated at any time. Enjoy it while it's there...

The map data is provided by the OpenStreetMap project.