Google Sky

Google Sky - Ring Nebula

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Today sees the release of Google Sky. (Annoyingly, it doesn't yet have a domain, or even instructions on how to use it' what you need to do is download Google Earth then use the menu option View > Switch to Sky. Maybe there'll be a post to the Google Earth blog later.)

Once I'd figured out how to actually get into it, I started playing, and it's very pretty. I've not been a big user of Google Earth, so the interface wasn't entirely familiar, but it will be for those of you who've messed around with the terrestrial version. I'm also not sure how it compares to specialised astronomical packages like Starry Night, but I can imagine they're a lot better at finding how to observe a planet in the sky above your town. Google Sky, by contrast, is a lovely tour of the deep celestial sky, putting into context some of the glorious imagery from Hubble and other telescopes.

Anyway, it's free; why not give it a download and have a quick play?