Microsoft Worldwide Telescope

[rage2]

For all us astronomy geeks, Microsoft is releasing WorldWide Telescope in the next few months. It takes TB's of photos from the worlds best telescopes (including Hubble and other space based telescopes) and maps it all together. Think Google Earth, except for the observable universe from earth's point of view.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/224

Fucking awesome! It's gonna be free too!

http://www.worldwidetelescope.org

[dr_jared88]

That is wicked! I was actually just thinking about something like this a couple days ago. Unfortuantly I don't quite have the money to do something like this so I'm glad microsoft is lol

[rage2]

It's a pretty extensive project, I'd say at least $200m invested on the software side of things. I wonder if MS had to pay or donate to the telescopes around the world to use it's images.

This is why Microsoft > *. Giving all this free to everyone.

[bbcustoms]

I just noticed this, I think google already has something like this too
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eMhGpzyFdhE&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eMhGpzyFdhE&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

[rage2]

The Google Earth Sky module wanted to do something like this, but the imagery was fairly limited so it wasn't terribly interesting. This brings what Google Earth offered for our planet to the universe.

[Moonracer]

Sweet! I can't wait. :thumbsup:

[D'z Nutz]

Fuck, this is gonna be cool!

When they announce newly discovered planetary systems, you'll be able to check them out for yourself (hopefully). And with something like this, it's quite possible for regular Joe Schmoes to discover things on their own. Amateur backyard astronomers are still finding comets and asteroids that researchers overlook (which they get to name). With all the fucked up things people are finding on Google Earth, let's see what they can come up with now! Haha

[jav_]

cool!

[01RedDX]

.

[D'z Nutz]

Bump. Available for downloading now:
http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/experienceIt/ExperienceIt.aspx?exp=true

[Zephyr]

dam i cant run it as i have a mac booo...

[kamatayan]

Wow... .. .

Move over google earth

[rage2]

It's definately way better than Google Earth Sky mode. The tours are awesome!

[benyl]

Originally posted by rage2
It's a pretty extensive project, I'd say at least $200m invested on the software side of things. I wonder if MS had to pay or donate to the telescopes around the world to use it's images.

This is why Microsoft > *. Giving all this free to everyone.

This is the first time MS has given anything away for free without having their hand forced into it.

bout fucking time.