Introducing Sky in Google Earth (Forwarded)

Google Inc.

Media Contact:
Megan Quinn
Google Inc.
650-253-4944

August 22, 2007

Introducing Sky in Google Earth

New feature in Google Earth enables users to explore space from their
computer

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced the launch of
Sky, a new feature that enables users of Google Earth to view the sky as
seen from planet Earth.

With Sky, users can now float through the skies via Google Earth. This
easy-to-use tool enables all Earth users to view and navigate through 100
million individual stars and 200 million galaxies. High resolution imagery
and informative overlays create a unique playground for visualizing and
learning about space.

To access Sky, users need only click "Switch to Sky" from the "view"
drop-down menu in Google Earth, or click the Sky button on the Google Earth
toolbar. The interface and navigation are similar to that of standard Google
Earth steering, including dragging, zooming, search, "My Places," and layer
selection.

As part of the new feature, Google is introducing seven informative layers
that illustrate various celestial bodies and events:

Constellations -- From Cassiopeia to Andromeda, the Constellations layer
connects the points of constellations through space, labeling each with its
given name. Users can learn about the stars that make up their favorite
constellations.

Backyard Astronomy -- The Backyard Astronomy layer lets users click through
a variety of placemarks and information on stars, galaxies, and nebulae
visible to the eye, binoculars and small telescopes. This layer is useful
for the amateur astronomer who may benefit from a comprehensive, organized
way to reference fragments of the night sky.

Hubble Space Telescope Imagery -- The HST layer provides users with over 120
high-resolution images provided by the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA/ESA's
renowned orbiting telescope.

Moon -- The Moon layer displays animations of two months of both lunar
positions and moon phases.

Planets -- The Planets layer illustrates the seven official planets and
their positions in the sky two months into the future.

Users Guide to Galaxies -- The Users Guide to Galaxies layer enables users
to go on virtual tours through different types of galaxies, from Ursa Minor
Dwarf to the Milky Way.

Life of a Star -- The Life of a Star layer takes the user on a tour through
the different stages of a star's life cycle.

Sky was created by Google's Pittsburgh engineering team by stitching
together imagery from numerous scientific third parties including the Space
Telescope Science Institute (STScI), the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS),
the Digital Sky Survey Consortium (DSSC), CalTech's Palomar Observatory, the
United Kingdom Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC), and the
Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO). The initiative was born out of the
University of Washington's participation in the Google Visiting Faculty
Program, which makes it possible for leading academic researchers to visit
Google for 6-12 month periods.

"We're excited to provide users with rich astronomical imagery and enhanced
content that enables them to both learn about what they're seeing above and
tell their own stories," said Lior Ron, Google Product Manager. "By working
with some of the industry's leading experts, we've been able to transform
Google Earth into a virtual telescope."

"Sky is a very cool new feature for anyone who has ever looked up at the sky
and wanted to know more," said Sally Ride, former astronaut and CEO of Sally
Ride Science. "I think this is a great tool for satisfying that curiosity."

"Never before has a roadmap of the entire sky been made so readily
available. Anyone interested in exploring the wonders of our universe can
quickly see where the stunning objects photographed by Hubble actually dwell
in the heavens. Sky in Google Earth will foster and initiate new
understanding of the universe by bringing it to everyone's home computer,"
said Dr. Carol Christian of STScI, who co-led the organization's Sky team
with Dr. Alberto Conti. The announcement follows last month's inclusion of
the NASA layer group in Google Earth, showcasing NASA's Earth exploration.
The group has three main components, including Astronaut Photography of
Earth, Satellite Imagery, and Earth City Lights. Astronaut Photography of
Earth showcases photographs of the Earth as seen from space from the early
1960s on, while Satellite Imagery highlights Earth images taken by NASA
satellites over the years and Earth City Lights traces well-lit cities
across the globe.

To access Sky in Google Earth, users need to download the newest version of
Google Earth, available at: http://earth.google.com . The feature will be
available on all Google Earth domains, in 13 languages.

About Google Earth

Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google's
search service to make the world's geographic information easily accessible
and useful. There have been over 200 million unique downloads of Google
Earth since the product's launch in June, 2005. Google Earth can be
downloaded for free at http://earth.google.com/ .

About Google Inc.

Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around
the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D.
students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in
all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides
businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall
web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with
offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information,
visit www.google.com .

Google, Keyhole and Google Earth are trademarks of Google Inc. in the United
States and/or other countries. All other company and product names may be
trademarks of respective companies with which they are associated.