Astronomical visualization goes big

i think this is the first time i'm promoting something developed at microsoft, but i really gotta give them credit here. the worldwide telelscope (WWT) is an interactive piece of software, with god knows how many layers of astronomical data embedded, that allows its users to navigate through the universe and experience decades of astronomical observations first-hand. i had the privilege of meeting curtis wong (the creator of the software) in december in kicp's cosmology short course, which i helped organize (i even "graded" his assignment for the course, for which he of course submitted WWT). he is a wonderful person and WWT is really an amazing project.

i gotta mention though, at the same cosmology short course, carter emmart from the hayden planetarium of the american museum of natural history presented digital universe, which does essentially the exact same thing as the WWT. in fact, it is almost more impressive than the WWT, AND it's available for free download (i doubt microsoft would allow such a socialist move). having played around with both pieces of software, i have to say i prefer the latter.

below is curtis wong and mike turner playing with the WWT on curtis' laptop, and a group of us - with long-haired and generally amazing carter emmart - awed by digital universe.