Celestia-free space simulation-very cool stuff

[tinyvillager]

The free space simulation that lets you explore our universe in three dimensions. Celestia runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

--Your can export to video too using the video codecs you have installed.
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/gallery.html

Don't expect it to be Google earth,no satellite imagery.More like mapped out space,astronomy if you will.
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

[mouser]

agree - it's a beautiful program, and it gets a little better each year while remaining free.

[Carol Haynes]

Looks really nice. I have both Distant Suns and RedShift on my system. DistantSuns also has a nice free version (which tempts you to buy the CD version.

[Edvard]

And there is a linux version! And satellites! Man I miss this app, I ran it quite a bit back in 2001-2 or so and always got lost at some orangish star somewhere watching the universe wheel around me..................

For more space exploration fun, try Noctis
From what I gather, you are exploring a universe and it's assorted planets. You then send descriptions of your explorations to the big Noctis Inbox where Noctis users from all over the net also leave their descriptions; kind of like Hitchhikers Guide to an imaginary universe once populated by an ancient race of cat-beings who inexplicably left...