If your thoughts are pointing skyward, whether because of the recent landing on Mars or a more general interest in outer space, here's three apps that'll feed your imagination.Most of the time, I keep both feet firmly planted on the ground, taking care of the business that crosses my desk. But the news stories this last month about Spirit and Opportunity, the two rovers we landed on Mars, have entranced me, and my thoughts have turned towards the skies.
The photos returned by the rovers helped feed my lofty thoughts, but I've found myself wanting more. Looking through our download library, I found software that shows me stars, comets, and planets, even in the middle of the day. These virtual planetariums work great for a lunchtime space escape. I also discovered a great screensaver that features images from around our solar system.
If, like me, you're feeling spacey these days, these apps let you be a space tourist, without the millions of dollars it would cost you to hitch a ride on the space station.
Coeli Stella 2000 gives you the view of space you'd get at a traditional planetarium: a field of stars, planets, and comets based on what you'd see from a particular location on Earth. The animation is very impressive. (Shareware/Windows)
WinStars, another virtual planetarium, features nicer graphics than Stella 2000. You can view the stars from any location on Earth, or you can switch to an overhead solar system view. It also incorporates landscape pictures to represent your Earth location. (Freeware/Windows)
Distant Suns-Grand Tour 3D Screensaver takes you on a guided tour through the solar system. Featuring photo-realistic images of the planets, it beats the heck out of that old, racing-through-the-stars screensaver. (Freeware/Windows)
What do you think of these downloads? Know of any other out-of-this-world apps? TalkBack to me below!
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