Download a new telescope

Jim Lawrence Ks. — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:21:38 GMT

works on my 2.2 and did a great job but after I put it on the wifes new toy with 256 Nvida 8 with HD talk about a great view keep it up microsoft

Download a new telescope

steve smyth — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:29:45 GMT

Happy Merry, Al...
I picture the day when someone offers 'Info Mart' via the www...included will certainly be CosmicLog as the Blog of Record for Cosmicness...whatever that becomes...
all the best...thanx!

Download a new telescope

Harald Felgner, Zurich, Switzerland — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:26:37 GMT

Isn't the Microsoft World Wide Telescope a Microsoft Me Too again? Sure, there was Jim Gray working on the topic some time ago already: http://tinyurl.com/2lbbvr.

Download a new telescope

Shadab — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:28:02 GMT

Hmmmm, so MS is also in competition....

Download a new telescope

bob simon — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:23:35 GMT

I actually laughed so hard after reading your article on the new microsoft telescope software that my work mates asked what was so funny. So here is the joke.

Microsoft has always cultivated what I would term corporate paranoia within its organization, what seems to me a cold war mentality. When Google or Apple come out with a product, Microsoft must match each with a comparable product feature for feature.

Google offered GoogleEarth to the world, so Microsoft invented local live. Google added an astronomy planetarium feature to Google Earth, so microsoft invents this new "World Telescope Software" to close the astronomy gap with Google.

I am a seasoned amatuer astronomer, sitting many a cold and damp night outside watching the sky thru my own telescope. I believe I have used nearly every open source or freeware astronomy software program available on the internet. I fail to see why Microsoft feels compelled to add to the glut of free astronomy programs already on the internet.

I was also shocked at the hardware requirements of the World Telescope program. The specs require one of the latest and most high end computers being sold today. I would rather the money used to create this superfluous astronomy program was used to make the Windows Home Premium on my laptop work properly.

I generally applaud any effort that promotes the wonderful hobby of amatuer astronomy, but this just seems like cold war politics to me.

Download a new telescope

JK — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:55:30 GMT

Please remember this is an idea that has been in gestation at MS for approximately 7 years.

Download a new telescope

Sarah Calhoun — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:32:03 GMT

I am a beginner/amatuer as far as research or computer programs regarding anything cosmic is concerned. I found this blog while researching something else. This is very interesting!

Download a new telescope

Miles W, charleston, sc — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:15:11 GMT

Typical that a Microsoft product won't work from its own browser via Vista Home Premium. I have a brand new desktop with 4GB ram & $600 video card, yet the stupid thing freezes after 'loading' 99%. Kill Bill before you kill XP!

Download a new telescope

iguacu — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:53:15 GMT

One disappointment - it won't let you go to BC years. You have to start at year 1. So no seeing the star over the manger, so to speak... :)

Download a new telescope

DP, NJ — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:03:15 GMT

Hmmm. Should I front the money to buy a super PC that can run World Wide Telescope, or should I spend that money on a nice telescope and go out and see the sights for real?

I think I'll choose reality.

Download a new telescope

UtahLuxury.com — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:18:10 GMT

I think we will have a race soon for street views in Mars. Who will be there first Goog or MS?

Download a new telescope

Rob, Omaha — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:52:02 GMT

Anything to promote astronomy is welcome. My nephew was fortunate enough to have middle income parents and uncles that bought him a computerized telescope, and he loved it. With Microsoft's focus on the education market (especially with the Gates foundation promoting rural education) I think this could help reintroduce astronomy into many schools.

By the way, a 2 GHz processor, 1 gigabyte of RAM and a 128MB 3-D graphics is hardly "latest and most high-end". My 2 year old system, which was $700 at the time, met those requirements easily. The benefit is great visuals.

Download a new telescope

mark d — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:11:30 GMT

Like bob above, I too am an amateur astronomer and although very supportive of anything that encourages the public to give the sky more than a fleeting glance, its hardware requirements excludes the majority of the population. Also, learning tools are great and I strongly encourage students, parents and anyone interested in astronomy to explore the universe from their desktop; however, NOTHING can replace the real thing. Go outside tonight and watch the show in the night sky. If you have kids teach them the wonders of the night sky. After being outside, come back in and use a reasonable freeware program to learn more and explore.

Sorry Microsoft. Looks like more bloat-ware.

Download a new telescope

Dave, Charlotte, NC — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:57:28 GMT

Microsoft had Terraserver before Google was even a company......please hold off on your ABM comments.

Download a new telescope

patrick — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:12:26 GMT

loaded it and it does not work.

Download a new telescope

Thomas Ashby, Calgary — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:04:39 GMT

Like others here I dabble in backyard astronomy. My only concern with this kind of software is that it is just soooo unrepresentative of the reality about actual backyard astronomy. Anyone that lets this mode of presenting the universe dominate their curiosity and doesn't even understand the basics of backyard observing through a REAL telescope runs the risk of having or developing a skewed perception of "what to expect".

Like Mark D alluded to, a person has to experience the reality of real observing..something I wonder if Bill Gates does. If not, Bill, start out with a 10" dob or 100mm ED refractor..or even a coronado PST solar telescope...heck, just grab a good pair of 7 X 50 binoculars !

Download a new telescope

Rajeev Ranjan Sahay, Patna, Bihar, India — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:04:10 GMT

Spectacular graphic snaps. Enjoyed.

Download a new telescope

jimbob,carlisle,cumbra. — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:56:46 GMT

brilliant program,educational & entertaining!

Download a new telescope

supriya, Hyderabad,Andhra Pradesh, India — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:58:19 GMT

i have never seen any planetarium .And instead of it we can see the galaxies through google sky.Really it is a good work by google thanks for google and it is really like a universe.Graphics are fantastic hope every body are enjoying the google sky

Download a new telescope

David Weston — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:15:40 GMT

Celestia beats the pants off of this: http://www.shatters.net/celestia/ and it runs on wiindows, mac and linux. Furthermore, because it is open source, you can add your own objects to its database, extending it as new discoveries are made and as NASA releases new imagery of everything out there. You can even add your own 3D models of spacecraft, set them in orbit or on the same trajectories as real spacecraft and essentially design your own simulates space missions. MS is once again, too little and too late, and is outflanked and outshone.

Download a new telescope

shafiq Lahore punjab — Sun, 18 May 2008 03:33:02 GMT

Download a new telescope

LEE JENKINSON, SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:21:40 GMT

FYI, before anyone goes out to buy more Ram for their computer,I seem to remember that 2 gig of RAM is the max that is recognized in a 32 bit configuration in WinXP or Vista, if I am correct, you either need 64 bit WinXP or Vista or sell the extra Ram on Ebay

Download a new telescope

Rita, new york NY — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:23:58 GMT

Unfortunately, my computer wouldn't be able to handle this program, although it sounds like a great opportunity to take a long slow tour of what is out there.

Download a new telescope

mamdouh — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:05:55 GMT

THANK YOU FOR ALL

Download a new telescope

mars — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:31:46 GMT

great program, and I am fully enjoying myself.