WorldWide Telescope Transition Bridge

该奖项支持万维网望远镜(WWT)项目从微软研究院向美国天文学会(AAS)的过渡。业余天文学家支持一个有相当大价值的行业，并通过公民科学努力参与研究，如Zooniverse。WWT软件为业余和专业天文学家提供了一个独特的平台，让他们参与研究、教育、出版、推广和交流。保留这个包裹对这个国家来说是一项有价值的服务。为了确保从目前的专有状态(尽管是免费的)平稳过渡到由AAS领导的开源项目，这项投资显然非常值得，同时也非常具有成本效益。微软一直支持WWT软件系统，直到2014年秋季，他们决定将WWT发布给开源社区。AAS热衷于在一个具有如此明显价值的项目中发挥领导作用，但需要时间来安排WWT的长期支持，以帮助美国天文学社区。微软的资助于2015年6月30日结束，因此该项目将弥补缺口，尽管只支持维护活动。这将确保WWT既可供AAS使用，也可供现有用户使用。正如所指出的，WWT目前被许多选区广泛使用。该软件具有独特的功能，包括为出版物创建视频摘要。它被用于全国和世界各地的许多学校、天文馆和博物馆。在社区驱动的开源模式下，这些活动将得到来自各自支持者的专家的支持，各种活动之间的联系可以利用一个社区的工作，使所有人受益。

This award supports the transition of the World Wide Telescope (WWT) project from Microsoft Research to the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Amateur astronomers support an industry of considerable value and are involved in research through citizen science efforts such as the Zooniverse. The WWT software provides a uniquely capable platform for involvement of amateur and professional astronomers alike in research, education, publishing, outreach, and communication. Keeping this package available is a valuable service for the country. The investment to ensure a smooth transition from its current state of being proprietary, albeit free, to an open source project led by the AAS, is clearly very worthwhile and at the same time extremely cost-effective.Microsoft supported the WWT software system up until the fall of 2014, when they decided to release WWT to the open source community. The AAS is keen to assume a leadership role in a project of such evident value, but needs time to arrange for long-term support of WWT in aid of the US astronomical community. Microsoft funding ended on June 30, 2015, so this project will bridge the gap, although supporting only maintenance activities. This will ensure both that the WWT remains available to AAS and that the system remains available for existing users.As noted, WWT is currently used widely by many constituencies. This software has unique capabilities, including the creation of video abstracts for publications. It is used in many schools, planetariums and museums across the country and the world. Under a community-driven open source model, these activities will be supported by experts from the respective constituencies, and connections between the various activities can leverage the work in one community for the benefit of all.