Microsoft has released its Worldwide Telescope software, and it is available for download. This software can be used by astronomers and non-astronomers alike to explore the heavens with a desktop client much like Google Earth.  I have a vested interest in this after having working on some Observatory Simulation Software and my life long love of astronomy. I am excited about spending my evenings exploring the cosmos. Long Zheng has a good review of this product here: http://www.istartedsomething.com/20080513/capturing-screenshots-from-worldwide-telescope/.  I am very exciting about this product.   It’s one of the coolest applications I have seen in a long time.  Supposedly, a video of this product even made Robert Scoble cry.

I doubt you will find evidence of alien life, but I urge you to download the software and try it out yourself here: http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/experienceIt/ExperienceIt.aspx?exp=true.   You won’t be disappointed.