Microsoft WorldWide Telescope Download

Microsoft WorldWide Telescope also known as “WWT” has been launched and you can now download it. Microsoft WorldWide Telescope is a free application which allows us to zoom around the universe and even browse through the galaxy. With Microsoft WorldWide Telescope you can also take guided tours of different outer space destinations which are developed by academics and astronomers.

Microsoft WorldWide Telescope itself is a blend of software and Web 2.0 services created with the Microsoft high performance Visual Experience Engine, which allows seamless panning and zooming around the heavens with rich image environments. According to Microsoft,

Worldwide Telescope stitches together terabytes of high-resolution images of celestial bodies, and displays them in a way that relates to their actual position in the sky. People can freely browse through the solar system, galaxy and beyond, or take advantage of a growing number of guided tours of the sky hosted by astronomers and educators at major universities and planetariums

Cool, isn’t it? This maybe is a better answer in form of Microsoft WorldWide Telescope against Google Earth? I think, it might be. With Microsoft WorldWide Telescope, you can see the same images that scientists at NASA use for their research and you can also perform your own research with those images. See the Earth from the same perspective that astronauts see as they descend to Earth, take a 5 minute break and check out a panorama of a different city.

Install WWT and start your explorations.

Microsoft WorldWide Telescope | Download

Steps to download Worldwide Telescope:

* Review the System Requirements to ensure that WWT can run on your computer.
* Click Download.

If you don’t have Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, or later, installed on your computer, a message box displays prompting you to install it. Click Yes to go to the .NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables & Service Packs page.

o On the .NET Framework 2.0 SDKs, Redistributables & Service Packs page, scroll down the page to the .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package section, and then click the link for your computer’s architecture and operating system.

Note Most computers currently use a 32-bit architecture and operating system and should click the Download x86 version.

o On the Microsoft .Net Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package page, read the system requirements to ensure that your computer has all the necessary software installed, and then click Download.

o In the File Download – Security Warning message box, click Run.
o In the Internet Explorer – Security Warning message box, click Run.
o Follow the software installation instructions.
o After the software has been installed, click the Windows Update link to make sure that you have all the latest service packs and security updates. Click Express to review all recommended software and follow the software installation instructions.

* In the File Download – Security Warning message box, click Run.
* In the Internet Explorer – Security Warning message box, click Run.
* Follow the instructions in the WorldWide Telescope Setup Wizard.
* After WWT installs, double-click the WWT icon on your desktop to open WWT.

WorldWide Telescope minimum system requirements

For PC:

* PC with Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 2 gigahertz (GHz) or faster, recommended
* 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM; 2 GB RAM recommended
* 3D accelerated card with 128 megabytes (MB) RAM; discrete graphics card with dedicated 256-MB VRAM recommended for higher performance
* 1 GB of available hard disk space; 10 GB recommended for off-line features and higher performance browsing
* XGA (1024 x 768) or higher resolution monitor
* Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing and scrolling device
* Microsoft® XP SP2 (minimum), Windows® Vista® (recommended)
* Microsoft® DirectX® version 9.0c and .NET Framework 2.0
* Required for some features; Internet connection at 56 Kbps or higher through either an Internet service provider (ISP) or a network. Internet access might require a separate fee to an ISP; local or long-distance telephone charges might also apply

For Mac:

* Microsoft® XP SP2 (minimum), Windows® Vista® (recommended) with BootCamp
* Mac with Intel Core 2 Duo (2.2 GHz or faster) processor recommended
* 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM; 2 GB RAM recommended
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card with 128-MB SDRAM or recommended
* HFS+ hard disk format (also known as Mac OS® Extended or HFS Plus) and 10 GB of available hard disk space
* 1440 x 900 or higher-resolution monitor
* Mouse or compatible pointing device
* Mac OS® X version 10.2 (Jaguar) and Boot Camp; Mac OS X Leopard is recommended
* Microsoft DirectX Runtime 9.0c and .NET Framework 2.0
* Required for some features; Internet connection at 56 Kbps or higher through either an Internet service provider (ISP) or a network. Internet access might require a separate fee to an ISP; local or long-distance telephone charges might also apply

Source | Microsoft WWT (Worldwide Telescope) Experience
HomePage | Microsoft WWT