Google Sky

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Top
Google Sky
Google Sky logo.png
Skyscreenshot1237103.JPG
Screenshot of Google Sky on Internet Explorer 8
URL google.com/sky or Download Google Earth at www.google.com/earth
Type of site Web mapping
Registration Yes, with Google Account
Available language(s) English
Owner Google
Created by Google
Launched 27 August 2007
Current status Active

Google Sky is a feature for Google's Google Earth and an online sky/outer space viewer at www.google.com/sky. It was created on August 27, 2007.[1] The application allows users to view a collaboration of images from NASA satellites, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and the Hubble Telescope.[2]

It is also available on Android and can be used on a smartphone as an augmented reality application.

Contents

Google Earth version

The first Google Sky version to be created was on the virtual globe program called Google Earth. It features a number of layers, similar to the earth mode. It is mapped with images on the inside of the Google Earth sphere, with the north and south poles lining up with the two poles in Google Sky, it is viewed from the inside looking out from the center. It is currently facing competition from Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope.[3]

Layers

Website

Google also runs an internet version of Sky, which was created in response to the popularity of the Google Earth application.[4] Google Sky Website was launched on March 13, 2008. It's accessible from any web browser and operating system and available in 26 languages (the first Google Maps product to support right-to-left languages). It was coded by Diego Gavinowich, a Latin America Code Jam finalist from Buenos Aires who joined Google for a winter internship, with the help of other engineers on their 20% time.[5]

Features include:

  • Search
  • Layers
    • Infrared
    • Microwave
    • Historical
  • Galleries highlighting
    • Selected images from Hubble and other telescopes.
    • Chandra X-Ray Showcase
    • GALEX Ultraviolet Showcase
    • Spitzer Infrared Showcase
  • Current planet positions and constellations.
  • Overlays of custom KML content.
  • Earth & Sky podcasts gallery.

See also

References

External links


Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

Copyrights: