WorldWide Telescope
A browser planetarium stitched from real survey data, letting you pan the whole sky in visible light, infrared or radio.
Opens in a new tab. We do not control this site and it may have changed since we catalogued it.
How to get the most from it
WorldWide Telescope sits in Space & Scale under Learn, filed as coffee break.
- Set aside five to fifteen minutes and give it your proper attention.
- Use a laptop or desktop computer — we file it as desktop only.
- It works with the sound off, so it is fine on a train or in a quiet office.
- No account needed — you can start without signing up.
- Go in expecting something beautiful, mesmerising and brainy.
About this category: Space, deep time and the size of things. Every site here exists to give you the one thing a textbook diagram cannot: actual scale.
Good for
- Filling a coffee break properly
- Looking at something lovely
- Watching something hypnotic for a while
- Giving your brain a workout
- A quiet break at your desk
- Trying it with zero commitment
WorldWide Telescope: quick answers
Is WorldWide Telescope free?
Yes. WorldWide Telescope is free to use and needs no account.
Do I need an account to use WorldWide Telescope?
No. You can use WorldWide Telescope without signing up for anything.
Does WorldWide Telescope work on a phone?
Not well. We file WorldWide Telescope as desktop only, so open it on a laptop or desktop computer.
Is WorldWide Telescope safe for work?
Yes, we file it as safe for work. It also works muted.
How long does WorldWide Telescope take?
We file it as "Coffee break": Five to fifteen minutes of proper attention.
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