ggplot2

Ben Schmid took ship’s log data (previously visualized in static form on the the Spatial Analysis blog), and used ggplot and ffmpeg to animate the paths of individual voyages from 1750-1850. The images above come from the animation that combines all years to emphasize seasonal patterns. Another animation depicts the the data year-by-year. I especially like how the name of the month is positioned to reflect the sun’s meridian.