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# How the From  Internet Became an To  Observatory When As  the internet first began to grow, grew,  astronomers thought of used  it mainly as a tool that would enable more "remote" for remote  observing, accessing  both on distant  mountaintops and from space. But, then, space satellites. But  as web browsers became more powerful, and data exchange over the web became commmonplace, astronomers around the globe realized the potentialthe web held  for creating an online set of interconnected astronomical data and research tools that would ultimately offer the best "observatory" the world had ever seen. In the United States, 2001  the National Science Foundation awarded a large consortium of institutions an initial grantin 2001  to create what was then called the "Framework for a framework that would eventually evolve into  theNational  VirtualObservatory." The "NVO" created in 2001 beacame the "Virtual  Astronomical Observatory" in 2010, jointly funded by the NSF and NASA. Meanwhile, related Virtual Observatory Observatory. Related virtual observatory  efforts accelerated appeared  around the world, especially in Europe and the UK. A good deal of the work in building a Virtual Observatory revolves around "standards" needed to make resources interoperate. A small group of people around the world find the creation and implementation of such standards fascinating, and they have happily formed The observatory's backbone was  a semi-volunteer organization called that created standards for all astronomical data to be entered into  the "International Virtual Observatory," or "IVOA." database.  The IVOA's work is group was  invisible to most practicing astronomers, astronomers  butit is important to appreciate how  critical it is in allowing resources to inter-operate. for the virtual observatory's operations.  For example, some amateur astronomers will be familiar with the "FITS" format for images. It is IVOA most astronomical images come in a FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) format. Virtual observatory  standards that put in place a decade ago  allow for those FITS images astronomers  to be searched for, viewed, and exchanged within the many search tools and software packages that even just one astronomer might use. The work of the IVOA is not unlike that of ICANN or the W3C, which are similarly critical, search, view,  and also near-invisible, bodies that enable the functioning of the internet we all use everyday. exchange these images.  Today, in spite of funding woes worldwide, but worldwide and  particularly in the US, U.S., the Virtual Observatory has created  aworldwide  set of free  astronomical resources thatenable "virtual" observing are out there, and  are arguably more accessible, freely available, accessible  and more  coordinated than in any other field of science. The trick is to But how can the public  access these those  resources with an easy-to-use and powerful tool. interface?  Enter the WorldWide Telescope.