Graph Gallery

http://www2.research.att.com/~yifanhu/GALLERY/GRAPHS/index.html

For Xmas, we give you: The Known Universe!

http://www.amnh.org/news/2009/12/the-known-universe/

Nice video from AMNH.

After the animation left our universe, it stopped playing, but it was only loading, so don't you worry: the "out there" is out there.. :)

It was an obvious choice to start this journey from Tibet.

Norway skies not kept clear

This time again, it wasn't from the future, nor from other planet:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/12/09/awesomely-bizarre-light-show-freaks-out-norway/

Free vector and raster map data

Again, some free geodata:

http://www.naturalearthdata.com/

That big, green 'Get the data' button is funny. :)

Anyway, the design of the page is clear, so it fits in.

(The problem with these datasets is, that you cannot use them in a commercial way.

Not because of the legal issues, but because every project I know of needs way more detailed maps, for a small area.

These can be great for educational purposes, maybe for research (climate, weather, ecology?), but not for building construction, highway planning, navigation, etc.)

Climate Data Sources

"This page is a catalogue that will be kept up to date pointing to selected sources of code and data related to climate science. Please keep us informed of any things we might have missed, or any updates to the links that are needed:"

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/data-sources/

(Another interesting link from the world of climate research, for those who have a lot of time:

http://computationallegalstudies.com/2009/11/27/visualizing-the-east-anglia-climate-research-unit-leaked-email-network/ )