March 14, 2008

Web-Based Google Sky: A Great Tool !

Google's Browser-based Sky launched. Now you don't need to install any software for a quick marvel at the heavens! Google Sky comes default with some known objects, such as M1 and Andromeda, and see them in x-ray, infrared, microwave and ultraviolet modes. Perfect for amateur astronomy. You can also see some showcases of Hubble, Spitzer and other telescopes images and overlay your own information with KML content like in Google Earth. At the top left, there's a link to Google Moon and Google Mars.
This is a wonderful start! I can foresee the day when exoplanets are marked out in sky just like the currently known objects catalogued in there. It'll give us a sense of where they are in the sky. With the launch of new telescopes, we will see an explosion of hi-res images in the next few years. And we'll definitely see them in Google Sky. Gee, thanks Google! Thanks NASA!

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