Google's search engine for the universe

Google's search engine for the universe

www.cnn.com

By Jonathon Keats
Popular Science

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(PopSci.com) -- Within a decade, a dream team of astronomers and computer geeks vows to bring a world-class observatory to every desktop, giving anyone with a PC access to remote galaxies and exploding supernovae.

The pledge is the result of a partnership announced last winter between a network of 19 national research institutions and engineers from the search-engine giant Google.

Their collective objective is to develop potent software to process the estimated 30 terabytes of astronomy imagery (think 12 billion five-megapixel photos) that will stream nightly from the newly built Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, or LSST, slated to go online in 2013.

Set atop Cerro Pachon Mountain in Chile, the LSST will be the largest survey scope of its kind, sequentially imaging nearly 20 billion astronomical objects in the night sky twice a week at least 2,000 times over the scope's 10-year lifetime.

Google's role in this $350-million project (beyond the modest $25,000 annual dues payment) is still largely undefined, but Rob Pike, Google's principal engineer for the LSST, envisions a tool set akin to Google Earth, which combines a search tool with satellite imagery.

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Cool, in a few years we will be able to track new planets maybe with life on it directly on your PC..... That is an interesting project from Google and Universities.

www.cnn.com
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I think it would be just about right to put it up in ten years, but what I don't understand is, how come the telescope's life span is only 10 years??, that's pretty short to me..

Anyway will just have to wait ten years to take a good look at that universe out there, wow it's really a great idea when you think about it!.

[edit on 9-5-2007 by bartholomeo]

[edit on 9-5-2007 by bartholomeo]

that will be very interesting how this will play out i love looking at the stars and to see that on a computer is almost dissappointing i would like to see it through a telescope