Google has added new functionality to its Earth tool, the ability to search deep into space.

Announced at its London, Victoria offices by Ed Parsons from the firms' Geospatial product development group, Google Earth + Sky, is an extension to the current service, and boasts all the same search funcationality as the current version. Albeit with a not so subtle difference. Parsons called it, "the same tool, looking up" and explained that is designed to be used by astronomers – whether serious, or amateur, as a means of making sense of the space above them.

Google Earth + Sky lets users find their way through 100m individual stars, 250m galaxies, and much, much more according to Patrick Chung, product marketing manager. Chung explained that the content was drawn from astronomy partners throughout the world that had supplied up to date photos of the stars, and would continue to do so as more became available.

The data is not live, but is as up to date as possible, explained Chung as he demonstrated he functionality of the tool, which should become available today.

Google already offers Google Mars and Google Moon.