Google Earth visits a galaxy far, far away

From the frozen tundra of Hoth to the barren valleys of Tatooine, the scenery of Star Wars has been permanently etched into our subconsciousness. We could probably recognise those factious landscapes more readily than Earthly ones.

It's deeply satisfying then to see all of these otherworldly locations on the humble Google Earth. At first glance you'd be forgiven for thinking they're just normal eye-in-the-sky views of lonely locales, but their brilliance shines through on closer inspection.

Graphic designer Tom Ward created these wonderful images by tweaking Google Earth shots of filming locations used for original the Star Wars series. Settings include Tunisia, Guatemala, Norway and California. It's not so far, far away at all.