Discover The Astronomical Wonders Of The Stars

For me, one of the most amazing things about our universe is the beauty of the stars and the planets, dispersed around the skies. Perhaps one of the most exciting concepts is that there is still so much that we are yet to see or even know about. What exactly is in the furthest West corner of the universe? Which planets have we yet to discover? Will we ever find another life-form out in space?

There have been some applications over recent years which have allowed you to scan the skies for stars, solar systems, planets and extra-terrestrials. However, I think somewhere at the top of the list has to be SKY-MAP.ORG. This great site, totally free, has amazing quality generated images based on the characteristics of stars, but also has the capability to switch to real photographs. Unfortunately, only a quarter of the sky is covered by this feature, but we can at least get an accurate view of what is above us using the generated tool based upon precise databases. It states that its fundamental aim is to “consolidate astronomical, astrophysical and other information about different space objects and astrophysical facts.”

What I love about this site is that it reaches far and wide out of our solar system and allows users to see objects in wonderful quality. Entering your current location into the site allows you to view the stars directly above you, and you can search for a particular object using the search feature. The technology is quite advanced, so technophobes may find it slightly difficult to navigate and perhaps the layout a touch scary at first. The site has been commended by many publications, and although has been around for a while now, is developing further through donations. The site also has a forum and a Wiki.

I’m sure some of you will have seen it before, but it’s well worth taking another look. For those of you that haven’t, you’re in for a treat. Let us know what you think, by leaving a comment.