ArticleSet - Development

I still have memories from when I was little of how my grandpa used to point out groups of stars and name the constellation they form. I could never figure out how he did that. I couldn’t find any logical pattern to follow. To me it wasn’t a science - it was merely beautiful. Yet Google Earth is extending its boundaries, as it starts to map more than just the Earth.

While the Earth view makes you feel small, in comparison to the world we inhabit, the view of the sky amplifies that feeling tenfold, but it also makes you feel like the center of the universe. Although it does give you a decent idea of how grand the universe is, it doesn’t give you freedom of choice in picking your point of view. You are restrained to exploring the edges of space as seen from planet Earth, yet that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, why not feel as if your planet is the most important?

Probably the biggest bonus for space fans though is the picture gallery, full of images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Not only is such a collection of pictures valuable to any space fan, but it is beautiful even to your average Joe. I think we’re all fascinated by what lies beyond our world, partly because of the beauty of all cosmic phenomenon. Or it might be all those nights spent stargazing, wishing you could explore space up-close. Well, apart from space colonization, this is the next-best thing.

To sum up, I’d like to say that the sky map that Google has to offer is essential to any space fan’s arsenal, yet it appeals to everyone, since I doubt there is a person who finds no beauty in the stars. Not only are you able to look at photographs of miraculous beauty, but you might also learn to spot the constellations on the clear night sky. So go ahead! Put your space suit on, strap yourself to the chair, countdown using your best NASA imitation and remember “The sky is no longer the limit”!