Google Sky

Yesterday they launched “Sky in Google Earth“.   (Why not Google Sky?  Probably someone snapped up the domain name and wants to get rich.  Or could it be a certain embarrassed restraint:  ”We’ve claimed the Earth, but can we really claim the Sky?”)  Its all over the blogs, and now all over the big news channels too, probably the most significant news since Earth itself… also significant because of the additional attention it will give to Google Earth and Maps.   Just took a peak and it is truly amazing.  What do I know about the heavens.  I did a search on “Andromeda”  (the movie?), and the answer, “Do you mean the Andromeda Galaxy?”  Of course!  So here’s a picture.   Staring hard at the screen I thought there were millions of stars indeed out there.  Then realized there was also a lot of dust on my screen.

Update May 31, 2018 – Just downloaded current desktop version of Google Earth.  In the top bar there is a “planet” button, and there’s where you find Google Sky, along with Mars and the Moon.  Ten years further, there is no doubt masses of new information, about the celestial masses.  The online version (chrome) of Google Earth does not currently support the “planet” views.