You can now fly through the universe, viewing stars, planets and celestial bodies as an astronomer would, virtually, with the Worldwide Telescope by Microsoft.
The virtual service combines images and databases from every major telescope and astronomical organization in the world.
Microsoft says it is providing the resource for free in memory of Jim Gray, the Microsoft researcher who disappeared last year while on a trip to scatter his mother's ashes. The project is an extension of Gray's work. While writing this post, my copy of Telescope is downloading, so can't say for now how it compares to Google Sky or Celestia. Check it out here
Ok I did check it out. You can switch views to Earth, Sky, Planets, and Panorama. Looks and feels like Google Earth/sky though. Follow-up post later..
