A Web browser in the heavens
Members of the Allston-Brighton and Harvard communities gathered at the Harvard Allston Education Portal (Ed Portal) on Thursday for an illuminating evening of revealing astronomy and scientific enthusiasm. Harvard professor of astronomy Alyssa Goodman arrived early to set up her presentation of the free WorldWide Telescope (WWT) from Microsoft Research. Goodman had helped to develop the telescope, which she likened to a Web browser for the sky. Fifteen minutes before the first Faculty Speaker Series event of the year, Goodman invited 7-year-old Annika Hedlund and her 5-year-old brother Luke to “control the universe with your body” by using the WWT’s Kinect control feature, which allows users to shift objects via body motions. As Annika waved both arms, a display filled with countless stars that shifted position along with her. She eagerly asked Goodman, “Where’s the Milky Way?” The astronomer pointed, “Here!” “I didn’t expect so many kids tonight,” Goodman said, but “I’m so...