Like Google Street View

September 16, 2009 2:16 AM

but bigger. "This 360-degree panoramic image, covering the entire celestial sphere, reveals the cosmic landscape that surrounds our tiny blue planet. This gorgeous starscape serves as the first of three extremely high-resolution images featured in the GigaGalaxy Zoom project, launched by ESO within the framework of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009)." "GigaGalaxy Zoom features a web tool that allows users to take a breathtaking dive into our Milky Way. With this tool users can learn more about many different and exciting objects in the image, such as multicoloured nebulae and exploding stars, just by clicking on them. In this way, the project seeks to link the sky we can all see with the deep, 'hidden' cosmos that astronomers study on a daily basis. The wonderful quality of the images is a testament to the splendour of the night sky at ESO’s sites in Chile, which are the most productive astronomical observatories in the world. "

Press Release here.

[The second dramatic GigaGalaxy Zoom image will be revealed next week, on 21 September 2009.]

posted by RoseyD (14 comments total)

double
posted by edd at 2:34 AM on September 16, 2009

Double here.
posted by chillmost at 2:34 AM on September 16, 2009

Sorry bout that.
posted by RoseyD at 2:36 AM on September 16, 2009

It's ok. We still love you.
posted by chillmost at 2:53 AM on September 16, 2009

I need to be spanked.
posted by RoseyD at 3:07 AM on September 16, 2009

There are several BDSM aficionados on this site, if that is what you are trying to hint at.

/soon to be deleted
posted by asok at 3:38 AM on September 16, 2009

If you put some detail in your profile I am sure you will be obliged.
posted by adamvasco at 3:39 AM on September 16, 2009

Alright, since we're all MeTa in here already, the title of your post will not show up on the front page. So, if you attempt to string a sentence between the title and the first few words of your post, it will not make any sense at all. For example, to someone like me, browsing from the front page of MetaFilter, your post begins

but bigger. "This 360-degree panoramic image, covering the entire celestial sphere, reveals the cosmic landscape that surrounds our tiny blue planet. This gorgeous starscape serves as the first of three extremely high-resolution images featured in the GigaGala...

posted by carsonb at 3:57 AM on September 16, 2009

Now, if it had said 'butt bigger' I probably would have just clicked through and never come back.
posted by carsonb at 3:59 AM on September 16, 2009

Hey carsonb, nice detail, but can we get back to the spanking please?
posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 4:18 AM on September 16, 2009

Spank my astronomy.
posted by twoleftfeet at 4:28 AM on September 16, 2009

I think you mean "spank my heavenly body"
posted by Jon_Evil at 5:20 AM on September 16, 2009

Canis my Majoris.
posted by twoleftfeet at 5:25 AM on September 16, 2009

Something something milky way.
posted by idiopath at 5:53 AM on September 16, 2009