Imagine how it would be if you could zoom from Earth to the furthest galaxy in just one second. Well, Microsoft has thought of this and has come up with a software application that allows everyone to explore space. The virtual telescope, dubbed WorldWide Telescope, puts together information available from the best known space centers in the world in a collection of 12 terabytes of pictures and data.

Similar to a video game, the software can be downloaded from www.worldwidetelescope.org, and allows the user to travel through galaxies while rendering images of space dust and other space phenomenon with an incredible clarity.

In addition to these, the software allows users to create and then post virtual tours to compete with the ones that are recommended by scientists in the domain. A drawback to the project is the fact that, at this moment, the software presents no information explaining the images the user sees.

The software is intended to help children and young people interested in videogames to discover information about space and to increase their interest in the fields of astronomy, science and engineering.

The project was inspired by and is a tribute to the renowned computer scientist Jim Gray who disappeared last year while sailing along the northern coast of California. The scientist had shown great interest in astronomy and was working on finding a way to put satellite images online.

WorldWide Telescope can be seen as an alternative to Google Sky. This software, also free, embodies the astronomy aspirations of Microsoft’s strongest competitor in the field of Internet software and search. The difference in corporate philosophy is what makes the difference between Google Sky and WorldWide Telescope. While Microsoft’s application is a finished product that takes some time to download and insists on the graphical details, Google Sky doesn’t require any download and constantly evolves thanks to the efforts of the Google developers.