Space age software

Hey folks and Furl-ers, here's a new one for you. Did you know that there is a whole subterranian world of space and space-related software out there. Whilst one of the first wesbites I surfed on the net when I first got connected (via 14.4 k I might add) was NASA I never looked any further once I had downloaded some pretty wallpaper.

Now, the reason for this was probably that I have a built in curiosity about the final frontier and I think that is a feeling shared by many. Google certainly think so - having bought what is no called Google Earth they have tapped into a fun and occasinally useful tool. What most people don't realise is that they also have a http://www.google.com/mars/# page in Google labs! This bit of fun enables you to use the Google Maps interface to explore the Martian landscape.

Of course they also have a mini-site about the Moon ?! Strange that the definition of Google doesn't include indexing the physical matter of space.

OK, so that's web-based stuff. And believe me there's more of that to come... what about what we call software normally, ie. stuff you download and install?

With the accesibility of the internet lots of software can update from the net when you're connected. Just like virus scanners download new virus definitions, telescope software can download updates on the position of the stars. This means less mathematics and more star gazing for the amateur astronomers amongst us. At the click of a button your super-duper (pls correct my spelling with comments) robotic telescope will re-position istself in all dimensions such that it points at the required star, or planet... of perhaps some other heavenly body.

Ignoring the urge to link to heavenly bodies at this point (girlfriend around...) I'll add a titbit that you can impress your friends with. Did you know that today, 24th August 2006 Scientists from the IAU are debating whether Pluto should be called a planet still, or demoted to the classification Pluton?

You can even download software to help you make your own telescope. That should make telescope technology less intimidating