I'd love it if when browsing the planet a la Google Earth, you could twist round and have a look at what the rest of the universe looked like from that point on the earth's surface.
It could be a really nice educational tool too, if they got everything astronomically correct according to the date. I for one would like to have a better look at the full Moon over Sydney tonight.-- neilp, Feb 12 2006 Inspired by Google_20OceanGoogle Ocean [neilp, Feb 12 2006] Full Moon as seen from [neilp]'s exact location http://sheazy.multiply.com/video/item/1...then looking back from the moon. (4.5 meg Quicktime movie) [Shz, Feb 12 2006] Celestia's probably what you want http://www.shatters.net/celestia/Go anywhere in the Universe :) View anything from anywhere. A little more awkward, in my view, to browse planets. Not the same resolution as G.E. [Dub, Feb 12 2006] Stellarium is sort of similar http://www.stellarium.org/Tell Stellarium where you are on Earth, and it'll show you what stars/constellations you should see. [Dub, Feb 12 2006] Google Sky http://www.google.com/sky/Like Google Earth, only the other-way-round [Dub, Mar 14 2008] While you're waiting for this, try looking for a copy of something like Starry Night Backyard - it does exactly this. You can also hop around the nearest planets, moons and stars and take in the view from each, oh and wind time forwards or backwards too.
Astronomy magazines often have this type of software 'free' on the cover disk.
I got a copy about 18 months ago and was smitten. My 7 year old (6 as was) has become hooked on astronomy as a result.-- boysparks, Feb 12 2006 I thought this was going to be a feature mapping the universe, and I was all set to link to Google Moon.-- dbmag9, Feb 12 2006 I do like on Google Moon how when you zoom in too far it turns to cheese.-- Giblet, Feb 12 2006 But can it map what would happen to the galaxy if one were to collapse a star, al la Star Trek?-- RayfordSteele, Feb 12 2006 Baked - I think - Check out Celestia - It sits alongside Google Earth and Stellarium on my desktop-- Dub, Feb 12 2006 Starry Night Pro does an exceptional job. At my local Astronomy Club's last meeting, we were messing with total-known-universe fly-throughs, watching how constellations change over time (it can go up to the year 99999, don't know how far back), and other such things. Great idea, [neilp], but a few years too late.-- neutrinos_shadow, Feb 12 2006 (Latest Google Earth now does this. {Waves to Mr Google})-- Dub, Mar 13 2008 halfbakery