Out of This World

If Google Earth blew your socks off, don’t ‘aim’ your feet at any loved ones when you check out Worldwide Telescope. Released just this week by Microsoft, WWT “enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope — bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world for a seamless exploration of the universe.” To accomplish that, the service combines images from every major telescope and astronomical organization in the world.

The connection to sailing is a bittersweet one — WWT was a pet project of Microsoft researcher Jim Gray,  who you may recall disappeared last January during a solo sail out to the Farallones aboard his red-hulled C&C 41 Tenacious. Despite a massive search which even included real-time satellite imaging, no trace of Gray or his boat was ever found. Microsoft says it’s providing the WWT for resource free to honor Gray’s memory.

Find WWT — available for PCs only at this point — at www.worldwidetelescope.org.