Generate a global view Image of where a Lat-Long location is

Question

I would like to automatically generate an image which highlights a location from a global view.

Here is an example of what I would like to achieve:

I am debating using python utilities such as mpl_toolkits.basemap,which examples can be seen here. But I was hoping to find an easier way from you GIS professionals.

This is for a small webpage, and it would be nice to have it automatically generated.

Thank you for your time, --Beau

Answer 1

I found out how to do it using Generic Mapping Tool.

From the website: GMT is an open source collection of ~65 tools for manipulating geographic and Cartesian data sets (including filtering, trend fitting, gridding, projecting, etc.) and producing Encapsulated PostScript File (EPS) illustrations ranging from simple x-y plots via contour maps to artificially illuminated surfaces and 3-D perspective views; the GMT supplements add another ~70 more specialized tools. GMT supports over 30 map projections and transformations and comes with support data such as GSHHS coastlines, rivers, and political boundaries.

 #!/bin/sh
 # -JGlon0/lat0/size(in inches)
 # Define RGB colors after -S and -G (e.g. -S175/200/225)
 pscoast -JG10/20/4i -Rg -P -Sblue -Gtan -K > map.ps
 # Symbol shape and size in -Sa0.2i
 # Color in -G
 echo -10 -10 | psxy -J -Rg -P -Sa0.2i -Gred -W1p -O >> map.ps
 # The letter after -T determines the kind of raster image (j for JPG, g for PNG
 ps2raster map.ps -A -Tj

Will produce this:

Special thanks to Matthew Herman for helping me with this.