next generation of Sky in Google Earth

Roy Williams roy at cacr.caltech.edu
Thu Jan 10 07:12:06 PST 2008


Certainly it has been most interesting this week in Austin, watching 
Google and Microsoft slug it out at opposite corners of the convention 
hall. Each of these rich sky display software suites has its own best 
points and will be fabulous vehicles to ignite excitement about 
astronomy. I believe that the IVOA should be careful to engage both of 
these fabulous experiences, providing interfaces and bridges from all of 
our VO efforts.

The common denominator between the two efforts is the KML language, 
whose definition is now dominated by the geospatial community. If KML is 
to become a standard interchange format in astronomy also, it would be 
good if the astronomical community had a seat at the table when future 
versions are defined.

Roy



>
> On Jan 10, 2008 5:32 AM, Tony Linde < Tony.Linde at leicester.ac.uk 
> <mailto:Tony.Linde at leicester.ac.uk>> wrote:
>
>     http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/annc/sky_20080109.html
>
>     'This morning at the American Astronomical Society in Austin,
>     Texas, Google
>     Engineering Director Andrew Moore announced a new version of Sky
>     in Google
>     Earth. 
>

-- 

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