Today, Microsoft Research announced the availability of the public beta of WorldWide Telescope.
“The WorldWide Telescope is a powerful tool for science and education that makes it possible for everyone to explore the universe,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft.
“By combining terabytes of incredible imagery and data with easy-to-use software for viewing and moving through all that information, the WorldWide Telescope opens the door to new ways to see and experience the wonders of space. Our hope is that it will inspire young people to explore astronomy and science, and help researchers in their quest to better understand the universe.”
I encourage all of you to try it at http://www.worldwidetelescope.org
Related link: Capturing screenshots from Worldwide Telescope (Long Zheng, istartedsomething.com)
Another Day in the Antz Farm 
Any reason why the site uses flash and not silverlight ? 🙂
I am always in the view that companies should support their own technology unless their own is not good enough. I give alot of flack to adobe staff who create new adobe stuff in php too.
I think in version 1, the team behind WW Telescope wants to allow the largest pool of available users to try this service.
Currently, Flash is installed in most PCs and platforms, therefore a flash enabled site is the readiest way for everyone to try out this service.
I’m pretty sure, Silverlight considerations will definitely feature in the team’s future development plans.
Microsoft WorldWide Telescope is now supported by Geody Space ( http://www.geody.com/?world=space ) , so you can search for a star or a random spot in the sky, and see it on Microsoft’s tool (besides Google Sky and NASA WorldWind SDSS)