Google Sky first spin

I finally had a chance to download the new version of Google Earth featuring Google Sky and it is definitely worth checking out. The navigation is the same as for the Earth globe, although keeping track of north is a little harder until you get your bearings. The sky view includes a number of layers that can be turned on and off, including constellations, planet tracks, and flags for detailed Hubble Space Telescope imagery that is available for major night sky objects like the Andromeda galaxy. The zoom capability that is a hallmark of Google Earth is particularly educational for the Google Sky view. It provides a great sense of scale, demonstrating the relative sizes of objects in the night sky.