WorldWide Telescope was developed using the company's Visual Experience Engine and blends terabytes of images and data amassed from telescopes around the world including Hubble.
"The WorldWide Telescope takes very complex data gathered over many years from many telescopes and makes it accessible," said Microsoft chairman Bill Gates during a speech in Jakarta.
Described as "an observatory on your desktop", WorldWide Telescope is widely seen as a rival to Google Sky which launched in August 2007.
"It is going to change the way we do astronomy," said Dr Roy Gould from the Harvard Centre for Astrophysics.
According to Gould the WorldWide Telescope project currently holds information on around 300 solar systems.
"I think this will have as profound an impact on the way we view the universe as Galileo did with the telescope a long time ago," he said.
Microsoft turns stargazer with Worldwide Telescope
By
Guy Dixon
on May 10, 2008 12:20PM
Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope, a free tool that allows users to explore images of the sky at night, will be available at the end of May..
Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Partner Content
Partner Content
Optimising businesses on the Edge
Promoted Content
The new way to work needs a new way to lead
Partner Content
Why IT departments need to rethink procurement
Promoted Content
Building a foundation for healthcare innovation
Sponsored Whitepapers
Develop a resiliency strategy that integrates risk analysis & continuity management
.jpg&w=100&c=1&s=0)
IBM Maximo: Manage any asset, anytime, any place with mobile EAM
.jpg&w=100&c=1&s=0)
Optimise your operations with APM and AI-Powered insights
Forrester Study: Understand the total economic impact of using IBM Cloud Pak™ for Data
Technology skill development: The strategy for building better teams
