Microsoft Research has come up with its latest brainwave, Telescope, which as its puts it
is a Web 2.0 visualization software environment that 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.
Yes, exploring the universe is such a bore if you can see the seams, isn't it?
Join Harvard Astronomer Alyssa Goodman on a journey showing how dust in the Milky Way Galaxy condenses into stars and planets. Take a tour with University of Chicago Cosmologist Mike Gladders two billion years into the past to see a gravitational lens bending the light from galaxies allowing you to see billions more years into the past.
It all sounds terrifically good fun, and we're aching to give it a try so we can tell you about it. And now we come to the system requirements, because we're on Macs here at the Guardian (it's a publishing thing). From the FAQ:
Q. Will WorldWide Telescope run on a Mac?
A. Yes; the following are the minimum system requirements.
No, we won't spoil it yet. Let's just run through the installation procedure for those on Windows...
- If you don't have Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, or later, installed on your computer, a message box displays prompting you to install it. Click Yes to go to the .NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables & Service Packs page.
- On the .NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables & Service Packs page, scroll down the page to the .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package section, and then click the link for your computer's architecture and operating system. (Note Most computers currently use a 32-bit architecture and operating system and should click the Download x86 version.
- On the Microsoft .Net Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package page, read the system requirements to ensure that your computer has all the necessary software installed, and then click Download.
- In the File Download – Security Warning message box, click Run.
- In the Internet Explorer – Security Warning message box, click Run.
- Follow the software installation instructions. [You mean there's more than this?? - CA]
- After the software has been installed, click the Windows Update link to make sure that you have all the latest service packs and security updates. Click Express to review all recommended software and follow the software installation instructions.
- In the File Download – Security Warning message box, click Run.
- In the Internet Explorer – Security Warning message box, click Run.
- Follow the instructions in the WorldWide Telescope Setup Wizard.
- After WWT installs, double-click the WWT icon on your desktop to open WWT.
I'm exhausted just reading it. Obviously, installing Telescope requires you to trust Microsoft to high heaven. (Which of course you do, implicitly.) But things are always simpler on the Mac - it's usually just click "Yes, do whatever it is" and drag-and-drop, isn't it? So let's see what the requirements for an Apple machine are.
* Microsoft® XP SP2 (minimum), Windows® Vista® (recommended) with BootCamp
In other words, Windows - running as Windows. Yes, it's a seamless universe out there. (Thanks to Danny Sullivan for the pointer.)
Update: The Register did download it. They seem underwhelmed. Meanwhile, I can advise that the Astronomy Picture of the Day works on browsers right back to the very first. (Today's picture is the Southern Rhea. And you can get applications or RSS that will download the picture (Windows, Mac widget) each day. Enjoy!)
