WorldWide Telescope: Around the Universe in Eighty Ways
Frank Summers, Space Telescope Science Institute
WorldWide Telescope (WWT) is free, open-source astronomy visualization software. Its well-designed interface and diverse modes of exploration make it a user-friendly and awe-inspiring public portal to the cosmos. Teachers and students use WWT for both expert-led and self-driven astronomical lessons / journeys. In addition, WWT’s robust web resource connections and data tools make it a valuable professional astronomy research environment. In January 2016, the American Astronomical Society became the institutional home of this “Universe Information System” with plans to integrate the tool into research journals and encourage its use in education and public outreach. Dr. Summers will describe and demo some of the myriad ways this software enables virtual and visual explorations of the universe.