First, there was Google Earth, a three-dimensional, satellite-based mapping service that allows you to view any area of the Earth in detail. Then came Google Moon, which shows locations of all six Apollo moon landings.
Yesterday, Google expanded its galactic reach by launching Google Mars, on the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who mapped and studied Mars in the 19th century (1895). Like Google Earth, this Web browser-based mapping tool gives users a close-up, interactive view of the Red Planet with the click of a mouse button. The maps were made from images taken by NASA’s orbiting Mars Odyssey and Mars Global Surveyor.
Apparently, Google now has plans to create similar sites for other major planets for which information is available. So watch out for Google Mercury, Google Venus and Google Jupiter.
Soon we’ll all be in Google Universe (aren’t we already?).
