Microsoft released the first free public beta of its WorldWide Telescope that lets amateur and professional stargazers explore the universe from their PCs. This rich Web application accesses high-resolution images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center, and the Spitzer Space Telescope etc. Read Steven Musil’s blog for more details.
The main screen of the Worldwide Telescope contains stars that are visible to the human eye which are mapped into constellations. Navigate with your mouse in any direction and zoom in or out with its scroll wheel–points of interest appear when you mouse over. Use the top menu or search to find celestial bodies. Discover that the edge of the Big Dipper’s cup really does point to Polaris, the North Star.
